


Apprentice of Death: Book 6

by InkStainedHands1177



Series: Apprentice of Death Books [6]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Albus and Aberforth and Harry are very close, Albus is progressive, Albus needs a hug, Albus shows Harry some of his past, Asexual Aberforth Dumbledore, At least it is in my headcanon, Bellatrix isn't much better, Bisexual Albus Dumbleodore, Bisexual Gellert Grindelwald, Dark Tom, Dark Wizard Tom (in case you guys didn't notice that yet), Did you guys know that the blood pact is a form of marriage?!!, Don't steal from Harry, Dyslexia is NOT a mental illness and can be overcome!, Dyslexic Ron Weasley, F/M, FYI: Harry is Not Human, Gellert can be naughty sometimes, Gellert is growing intrigued - RUN, Gellert prefers to think of brainwashing as enlightening the modern youths, Gellert still wants Albus, Gen, Harry does not like Sluggy, Harry is Done with Hermione's Shit, Harry is STILL lying, Harry is a Little Shit, Harry is growing into a ruthless business woman, Harry is not clingy, Harry is protective of her family and friends, Harry's not grieving very well, Hermione Granger is a competitive person, M/M, Manipulative Gellert, Master of Death Aberforth Dumbledore, Master of Death Albus Dumbledore, Master of Death Gellert Grindelwald, Master of Death Harry Potter, Morons, Pansy is a lunatic, Possessive Gellert, Possessive Tom, Ron is the one who's emotionally stable for once- oh dear, Seer Gellert Grindelwald, Severus Snape is So Done, Severus is grudingly Harry's friend, She really isn't, Sirius is healing though so that's good, Tom is a businessman, Tom is also competitive, War preparations are hard, Warning: Tom Riddle, animagi, but secretly he really respects her, especially with a government who doesn't want to go to war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:01:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 59,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22481485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkStainedHands1177/pseuds/InkStainedHands1177
Summary: Harry faces a new set of challenges in her life, and though her friends are with her to the end, she still struggles to achieve her goals.In order to prepare for the future, Harry must learn from the past.Meanwhile, Albus and Gellert continue to struggle for control over each other's futures, and Aberforth is done with his brother's angst.
Relationships: Albus Dumbledore & Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore/Gellert Grindelwald, Harry Potter/Tom Riddle, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, hinted threesome relationship
Series: Apprentice of Death Books [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1546282
Comments: 238
Kudos: 140





	1. Here Again

**Author's Note:**

> Frankly, because I am so strung out with school projects and research reports, I can no longer upload daily. (I'm so so sorry!)  
> Uploads will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (my time so I have no idea what it would be for some of you guys).  
> Thank you for understanding! Once again, I'm really sorry about this, but I thank you all for your support and comments!  
> Ink...

Harry looked around at the street that she appeared on. Privet Drive. She hadn’t been here since she was twelve. Four years ago, she had vanished without word or trace, and had not returned. 

Albus had insisted that some warning be given to the Dursleys, even though both Tom and Sirius had been of the mind to let Grindelwald do the dirty work of killing them. 

Exhaling slowly, Harry straightened her Armani suit and touched at her impeccable hair. She had just come from a business meeting with her board of directions in the Potter shipping lines. They were quite open to the idea of using their ships to smuggle the less fortunate out of Grindelwald influenced countries. So that was good. The day had been very successful thus far.

Walking quickly down the sidewalk, Harry looked at the gardens in front of number four and smirked bitterly. She had weeded those gardens for almost twelve years. Now they were still overrun with lilies.

Knocking on the front door, Harry glanced at her reflection in the side window and nodded shortly. Her scar was hidden. Her hair was red this time, and she wasn’t wearing glasses anymore. It would be a surprise if they recognized her right away. In fact, Harry hoped they wouldn’t. Just so she could spring it on them.

It would be even better if they thought she was Lily’s ghost.

The door opened, and Harry looked at a surprised Dudley. He blinked at her. “What do you want?”

So he didn’t recognize her? Harry smiled pleasantly. “I’m here to speak with Mrs Petunia Dursley.”

“Oh. Come in. I’ll get her. Mum! Someone to see you!” He left Harry to close the door and then went back to his TV. Closing the door quietly, Harry smiled and turned towards the kitchen. Petunia was always cooking lunch at this time. Without fail. Harry had once helped her. Petunia came into the living room and froze, hand on her chest. Harry smiled. 

“Hello, Aunt Petunia. It’s been a long time.” She stepped further into the room, looking around the house. “I remember this…” She lightly touched the fireplace poker. Dudley was staring at her in shock now. Only one person called his mum ‘Aunt’. “If I recall correctly, then Dudley hit me in the stomach with this iron when I was eight…” She looked at Petunia. “Do you really feel no regret over what you did to me?” She looked into the woman’s soul and saw regret, but it was far too small to be of any real significance. She sighed. Harry hadn’t wanted to hope, but there had always been a sliver of wishful thinking that maybe Petunia had harbored  _ some _ love towards her blood niece. 

Apparently not.

Harry looked around and then stepped further into the dining room. “Ah, yes…this was the one room I was never allowed in. Never allowed to dine in the dining room. You know…my life was far more like Cinderella than people probably thought.” She laughed softly, grimly. “Oh right. No one thought about me, because hardly anyone on the street even knew I existed.” She turned back to her aunt. “No remorse…none for what you did to me. Did you know that Uncle Vernon waterboarded me because I cried too much at the age of three?” Petunia’s eyes widened. “You didn’t…would you have helped him?”

Moving unhindered, Harry walked up the stairs and enter the second bedroom. She saw that it had become Vernon’s study. Humming, she looked at the window. “Ah, I see you removed the bars. That’s a nice touch. Makes it a lot less like a prison. More like a home. Pity I never had that when I grew up. What did you think I’d do, Aunt Petunia? Murder Diddykins in his sleep?” She didn’t wait for an answer as she walked passed the silent woman and back down the stairs. She looked at Dudley and smiled without feeling.

“Who fixed the wall for you?” This time she did look at Petunia for an answer. 

“A- a Ministry o-official came. Removed all the curses, and wiped memories.” Petunia swallowed. “Harriet…what did you do with your hair?”

“I colored it. I thought that was obvious.” Harry looked at the older woman and then exhaled. “I heard about what those others did to you. Nice to see you’re back to your normal selves.” She chuckled bitterly. “You do so love to be normal…” Sitting down on the sofa, Harry bounced experimentally and smiled. “These really are comfortable. I always wanted to know how it felt to sit on them.”

The room was charged with tension. Harry was loving it. “So…” Harry smiled at her aunt and cousin. “What’s been going on in my only living blood kins’ lives? Four years has been quite a long time.” Her green eyes glittered.

“Nothing of import.” Petunia slowly sat down, never taking her eyes off the girl who had become a woman. 

“Oh? Well, that certainly is nice for you, isn’t it? Your jealousy of magic did quite the number on your sanity. I’m glad that everything has been boring and normal for you. I don’t think you could take another bout of magic.” She laughed softly and then turned and looked at her straight in the eyes. “Which is why I’m here. I’m sure my mother had told you something about Grindelwald?”

“Yes. He-” Petunia looked at Dudley and then swallowed. “He died.”

“Well, that’s what everyone thought. He actually didn’t. He’s back.” Harry wandlessly summoned the remote control to her hand and turned on the TV. “You’ve seen the terrorism rising, yes? That’s him. The jailbreaks last year? Him. Those monster storms that came out of nowhere and ravaged an entire city on the coast? Grindelwald. Nearly everything, except the hole in the ozone layer, is him.” She shut off the TV and set the remote calmly on the coffee table before turning to Petunia.

“H-how did you do that?”

Pausing, Harry looked at her cousin. “What?”

“Fly that remote to your hand. How?”

“It’s called magic, Dudley. It exists. I’m a witch.”

Dudley frowned at her in confusion. “Since when?”

Harry blinked. “Erm, Dudley…me teleporting to the roof when I was six, that was magic. Me turning Aunt Petunia’s hair curly, magic. Me talking to that snake in the zoo, magic also. I’ve always had it.”

“But that’s not magic. That’s freak accidents. Mum said so.”

Harry smiled and then turned to look at the tight-lipped Petunia. She then turned and looked at Dudley with extreme interest. Could she? Could she give him magic, just to get one last jab at Petunia?

Death appeared. “Harriet. That’s dangerous. Don’t experiment on the boy just for revenge.”

She exhaled and then shrugged casually. “That was magic, Dudley. It’s always been magic. Your mother and father hated it, and so they hated me. That’s why they encouraged you to hit me, beat me, steal food from me, rat on me. That’s why I tried running from home that one time. That’s why I was stuck in the cupboard. That’s why you were raised to think me not human, but nothing more than a mongrel stuck in your house. The wards protecting you were gone the moment I didn’t come back to this hell.” Harry turned to Petunia. “Grindelwald will come for you, in a vain hope of getting at me.” 

Speaking up again, Dudley frowned. “And will it? If he grabs us, then will you come?”

“No.” Harry looked at Dudley calmly. “I honestly couldn’t care less if you three died.” His eyes widened in surprise.

“Then why are you here?”

“Because, no matter what you’ve done to me, you are humans- in some form or another- and deserve to live. Grindelwald is free, and the world is about to be plunged into war. World War III, actually.”

“How do you know?” Petunia was bristling with anger at Harry’s insinuations and corrupting her ‘baby’ with words on magic. 

“Aunt Petunia…” Harry’s voice sounded like she was talking to a two year old. “Gellert Grindelwald was behind World War I and World War II. He’s free again, so he is obviously going to start another war, taking the Muggles- that’s you lot- in with him.”

Dudley frowned and spoke up. “Why? Why make war? And how can he be alive for so long?”

“Magic allows our people to live…long lives, easily past the age of two hundred.”

“Bloody hell!” Dudley was looking amazed. Harry was a bit confused. Had he grown up while she was gone?

“Anyways, Grindelwald is actually immortal. A magical ritual allowed him to gain immortality, so there’s that as well.”

“I would kindly ask you to leave!”

Harry looked at Petunia, who had jumped up in a fit. Her face had two blotches of red and her eyes held rage. Harry regarded her.

“You seem to be under the misguided assumption that I am afraid you.” Her calm words caused Petunia to falter. Harry turned back to Dudley. “As I was saying, Gellert Grindelwald is immortal and probably one of the most powerful and dangerous wizards you are ever going to meet.” Harry hummed. “There is a way I can show you what he looks like so you can be prepared, but it would be sort of…” Her eyes lit up. “You recall Star Trek?”

He grinned. “Yeah!”

“Well, I can do something like a mind meld, to show you my memories. That way you can-” Harry moved fast and grabbed the woman’s wrist before the slap could make it home. She slowly stood up, not letting go of Petunia’s wrist. She was taller than the woman now. “Oh Petunia…of the last two people who crossed me, one went insane and the other died. Are you absolutely certain that you want to hit me? When I am only answering your son’s questions? Giving him answers that could save his life? Do you really want me to leave you at the mercy of Grindelwald? Who takes delight in ripping Muggles apart and experimenting on them? He’ll be interested in you, you know. A sister who has magic, but you don’t. He’ll want to know why. Why doesn’t Dudley have it? Vernon he’ll have no use for, except maybe for whale oil or something. Do you really want to watch your son get cut into? To watch as scientists peel back his skin and examine his brain, while Dudley is still alive and awake and screaming for the sweet mercy of death?” 

Harry had kept her voice very level during this time. Petunia was on the verge of tears, knowing the terror that Grindelwald had was very real, and Harry’s words could very well come true. “Is that what you want? I know you don’t give a damn about me. Striking me across the face with a hot curling iron can give a person a hint that they aren’t loved, but surely you aren’t so jealous and petty about magic that you would sign your own son to his death?”

Finally releasing the shaking woman’s wrist, Harry turned to Dudley, who was looking both very frightened and very confused. “When your father returns, tell him that you want to go see a baseball game in America. Stay there until you know it’s clear.”

“When will we know?” His voice shook slightly. Harry studied him and then smiled. 

“You’ll know whether to hide deeper if all the Muggles suddenly start talking about magic being real. You’ll know to slit your own throats to save yourself the pain of torture when all the governments in the world collapse and a single dictator emerges victorious.” Her smile widened. “And you’ll know when it’s safe to come back to England when all the strife is over, when no one is talking about magic, when there are no strange fights on the streets or random people dying for no reason. Then, you’ll know you can come home, but until then, you are never to come back to England, and your names are not Dursley, but Downey, and you are not related to a Harriet Potter. You have never been to England before in your life, and your voice sounds American.” Turning to the woman who hated her, Harry stared down at the wretch. “You have no time. He could come to you any moment. He could send people to your door, and the wards you took for granted will no longer exist to block them out. When they come, you will die.”

Dudley grabbed her sleeve. “Please! Don’t leave us like this!”

Harry frowned at him. “You shoved my head in a toilet bowl.” He let go of her wrist, eyes widening. “You broke my arm and kept hitting my cast. You got me in trouble at school all the time. You lied about me doing things I hadn’t. Why should I help you? You have done nothing for me except teach me how it feels to be hated and to hate others in turn.”

He stepped back, paling.

Looking at Petunia, Harry smirked. “Remember, if someone knocks down your door, you’re as good as dead. Have fun packing, Auntie. Try not to die.” With that, she vanished right in front of them, wrapping herself up in shadows and leaving them behind. The last thing she heard was Petunia crying.

Harry appeared in her bedroom in her home shared with Remus and Sirius. She walked into her closet and pulled off her suit jacket. She kicked off her high heels, then pulled off her skirt. Next came her shirt and bra. Finally her nylons. 

Pulling on silk green lounge pants and a white silk blouse that tied under her breasts, she walked barefoot to her vanity. “Dobby.”

Her Elf popped into existence and immediately, eagerly, started taking her hair pins out. “Was Mistress Harriet’s day good?”

“The meeting went well, yes. You can tell Albus that there are twelve more barges open to helping us.” Dobby cheerfully finished his work and then popped away to do just that.

Harry stared at her reflection in the mirror. It had been two months since the battle. Since Antonin. 

Inhaling, she turned away and pulled off her jewelry and put it away before leaving her room and walking down the stairs. Hair pinned up by her two wands. She smiled at Remus and then kissed Sirius on the cheek before sitting down for lunch, made by their new House Elf, Nina. A former Hogwarts Elf, Nina absolutely loved working for the famous Harriet Potter and was eager in all her chores. Dobby was quick to explain the rules of the Potter-Black household (and their rather strange quirks), and Nina was happy with having more freedoms to do her own hobbies and such. She also was quite willing to accept an allowance. It had been Harry’s idea to give the Elves an allowance to spend. One galleon a week. They could easily afford it, and it was almost like paying them. It was a nice compromise, and the Elves liked it.

Sirius was doing much better now. He had gone to a mind healer who had spoken to him about his ‘Imperius Curse’. It had helped him greatly. 

Sitting down next to her, Remus smiled. “Are you going with Albus today to see if that new potions professor is going to join Hogwarts?”

“Yep. Wait. Potions?!” Harry gave Remus a horrified look. “That means Snape-”

“Yep. Snivellus finally got his wish.”

“OH NO!” Harry slumped into her chair. “They’ll be no living with him.”

Barking a laugh, Sirius dug into his food. “Who knows? Maybe the curse will pop him off within the year?”

“Sirius!” Remus gave his friend a look and then started eating his own food. Sirius rolled his eyes at Harry, who snickered.


	2. Unbreakable Vow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Severus faces a difficult choice and a shock. Meanwhile, Harry struggles with herself and learns some interesting news.  
> Tom is sulking again.

Severus closed his eyes and then stepped into the floo. He was brought to a house on the Cliffs of Dover. The man had a portkey.

Holding onto it, Severus was yanked to the backyard of a house in Paris. Swallowing, he straightened and moved with determination and assured calmness. Once inside the house, he nodded to Bellatrix. She was watching him with narrowed eyes.

“Are you trustworthy?”

“Yes, My Lord. Though only to you.” Severus knew that Grindelwald enjoyed plays on words and twisted humor. 

Smirking, Gellert looked at him, and Severus cemented his soul into showing fake memories (much to Albus’ displeasure Severus had been the only one Harry had taught that trick to, and she had countered with him knowing Hallucinations magic).

The search was almost brutal and extremely thorough, but Severus made sure his face gave no appearance of knowing what was happening. He allowed himself slight confusion at the long silence, though with Bella’s gleeful face, Severus instantly knew she was aware of Grindelwald being a Necromancer. He wondered if the woman was a Death Mage as well.

The scanning was done. Grindelwald…was satisfied. The man smiled at Severus. “Welcome back, Severus. What have you gleaned from your servitude in Hogwarts?”

“Dumbledore is assured of the safety he can have within the walls.” Severus spoke up calmly. “I have also heard of him speak about his…new magical discovery. He spoke to Professor Flitwick about something called a dreamcatcher.”

Grindelwald paused and then turned and looked at Severus intently. “A dreamcatcher? Did you see this for yourself?”

“No, my lord. It is in his bedroom apparently.”

Face relaxing, the Dark Lord chuckled. “Ah, so that's why I couldn't reach him... He always was a clever clog.” Gellert motioned for Severus to continue. 

“The teachers are all completely loyal to him. I have tested the morality and ideals of them, and they all firmly believe in the Statute. However, there are quite a few students in Ravenclaw who can be…convinced of your truth.”

“Good…Slytherin?”

Severus exhaled in what seemed to be disappointment. “They are too traditional. If you held true to the statutes but wanted to slaughter all ‘muddied magic’, then you would have them as allies.”

“I figured as much.” Gellert sat down with a soft sigh and crossed his arms. “Do you want anything to drink?”

“No, my lord. If it pleases you, then I must return soon. I will be missed.”

“Wait!” Bellatrix stepped forward. “I don’t trust you, Severus Snape!” Gellert looked amused rather than insulted at the doubt. 

“And why should your opinion matter to me?” Severus eyed her like she was a diseased hussy.

Bristling at his tone, Bella straightened. “You sat on your arse in comfort and out of prison! Where were you when our Lord needed backup?!”

“In ignorance as to his situation. However, simply because I was unaware of his goals and existence does not mean I am disloyal.” Severus looked to Grindelwald. “Pass me through the fire, if you wish, my lord. I will survive it.”

Gellert chuckled. “You already passed through a similar spell on your way inside the house. You are like minded to me and I trust your determination to see our cause through.”

Severus stifled all surprise at that. Thanking Death and Morgana that he hadn’t dropped dead, Severus turned to Bella and lifted a cynical eyebrow. “Are your… _ opinions _ assuaged, Bellatrix?”

Eyes flashing with rage and malice, she stepped closer. “No. Vow an Unbreakable Vow that you’ll take up the mission if Pansy fails.” Her eyes glittered. 

Heaving a put upon sigh, Severus looked at the Dark Lord. “Do you desire me to break my cover should Miss Parkinson fail?”

Humming, Gellert shrugged. “I honestly couldn’t care less. However, if it will help Bellatrix focus on her  _ own _ missions, then so be it. You will vow it with me.” He held out his hand. Severus faltered at the thought of touching Grindelwald. The other man smiled. “I don’t bite…”

Gripping the man’s forearm firmly, Severus spoke up when the lines formed. “I swear to provide Miss Parkinson aid whenever she asks it of me. I swear never to speak to anyone of her identity and mission unless it be to the Dark Lord. I swear to complete her mission should Miss Parkinson fail.”

The lines flashed and then vanished. Bellatrix looked sulky. Gellert hummed and then turned to Bellatrix. “Go back with Severus to England and continue activating the Aurors and lords and ladies who share our goals.”

Blowing him a kiss, Bellatrix flounced off. Severus eyed her and then spoke quietly, “She is mad, my lord. A loose cannon.”

“I know, and that’s why I’m putting you in charge of her.” Gellert eyed him. “Make sure she doesn’t…go crazier than she already is.”

Bowing, Severus murmured, “I will report to you weekly.”

“Good. And do not forget about your own mission.” The older man smiled softly. “If ever you get the chance, then kill Aberforth Dumbledore." Gellert smile softly. "Make sure he screams a little.”

“Of course, my lord.” Severus turned and swiftly left.

~meanwhile~

Harry looked around at the run down house. “A collector of talented people lives here?” She snorted. “Bit…ramshackle.”

“Yes…wands out.” Albus cautiously entered the house and then noticed the blood from the ceiling. Harry frowned and spoke to his mind.

_ ‘There is no death scent. No one has died here at all.’ _

Realizing that this was yet another of her skills that fell under Apprentice, Albus exhaled and then spied a large armchair. He smiled behind his glamoured beard.

~fifteen minutes later~

“Well, that went rather well.”

Harry rolled her eyes. “I know I once said that I’d leave politics and manipulation to you, but do I have to be taken in like a…a pet?”

“Slughorn will be yet another powerful wizard within Hogwarts and out of Grindelwald’s control. That is a necessary evil.” Albus shrugged. “The one thing he wants more is comfort and fame through the hard work of others. You are the crowning jewel.”

“He’s a coward. He won’t fight.” She sneered darkly. “He’ll run and hide.”

“Perhaps, but what you see now can possibly change to something new and fresh.”

She faltered and then looked at him intently. “You want me to soul-change him?”

“If you must, but I would rather you just convince him to stand up for our cause. He is a rather powerful wizard, Harriet.”

Grunting, she nodded and grabbed his arm to side along apparate with him. Since they were being constantly watched, they couldn’t shadow travel at all. 

When they arrived at her home, Harry turned and looked at Albus. “If I must, then I must, but be careful, Albus. This isn’t…” She looked around and then swallowed. “Many of our friends have shortened timelines, sooner death stamps…it’s going to end with the school year. And it’s going to end with a bang.”

Eyes grave, Albus nodded and then disapperated. She entered her home with a sigh. 

The next day, she apparated to the Burrow and found it in a place of uproar. She rubbed her forehead and looked at them. Not even Tom had noticed her arrival. Her eyes narrowed as how he carelessly left his soul unshielded. 

It was Nagini who saw her first. Her hiss of alarm caused Tom to slam his shields into place, but he knew it was too late from the coldness in Harry’s eyes. 

Ignoring him- a good punishment against Tom since he seemed to yearn for her notice- Harry focused on giving her friends and the Weasley family a tight hug. 

“How’s Sirius?” Ginny was, perhaps, the most sympathetic to Sirius’ pain considering her own past. 

“He’s been laughing more lately, and the mind healer has helped loads.” Harry smiled at her. “Thanks for asking. How are the twins?”

“Ugh…Ron cracked and told the family about you giving the money of your tournament winnings, just so Mum would stop blaming him for their mass breakout last year. That stopped Mum finally, but…things are still strained between her and the twins  _ and _ her and Percy.”

“Is their shop not doing well?”

Ron snorted and moved to her side. “It’s booming, and that makes Mum even more prickly. I don’t get her. Fred and George are making an honest living, cheering people up, and making a killing all at the same time. It’s better than joining the Ministry and turning into Percy.”

“And he still hasn’t thawed?”

Tom spoke up, not able to stand being ignored any longer. “The idiot has too much pride to just say ‘sorry, I was wrong’.” Ginny gave Tom a look.

“And you’d have the humility to do so?”

Giving her an even look, Tom smirked suddenly. “Yes. I’ve told Harry I was wrong plenty of times.”

Everyone looked at Harry, who flushed at the attention and then waved that off. “What’s up with the household? None of you have written me.”

“Oh! Right! Forgot to let you know. We’ve been careful about the mail since we don’t know who’s who in the Ministry anymore. Dad’s been approached no less than six times by sympathizers for Grindelwald. They aren’t breaking the law by saying they agree with  _ some _ of his ideals, so Dad can’t do anything about them except have them tagged but…” Ron scowled. “We didn’t want to write, and-”

Hermione interrupted, having just come down the stairs and into the front room. She hugged Harry tightly and then said in a rush, “Bill, the oldest, is getting married next year, and Mrs Weasley is…” She grimaced.

Stiffening, Tom breathed out through his nose the moment a very familiar face came into the room. 

“‘Arry! My sweet!” Fleur Delacour rushed over and gave Harry a tight hug.

Quickly reading the woman’s soul, Harry realized that she was the one that was marrying Bill and wasn’t approved of by Molly Weasley. Though Harry couldn’t understand why. The part veela was always kind to everyone, if a bit on the posh and prideful side, but the Weasleys weren’t exactly humble people either.

She thought it was a smart match, but apparently, she was the only female who thought so. Harry immediately called jealousy. 

Returning the hug quickly before stepping away, Harry smiled. “Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials, Fleur.”

“You are invited, of course!” The woman was beaming, glowing, with happiness. Harry knew immediately that this was true love between her and Bill. She found herself slightly sad that she didn’t feel that deeply for anyone, not even Tom.

_ Am I broken? _

Molly bustled in quickly and started taking over the situation, exerting herself over the entire conversation. Harry knew that it wasn’t to be bossy, but merely to mark her territory. Female lions were very territorial.

After appeasing the women by taking a snack, Harry scurried away with Ginny, Hermione, Tom, and Ron. They retreated into Tom and Ron’s bedroom.

“How are your snakes?” Harry settled on Ron’s bed, yet another punishment for Tom. He huffed but answered.

“They’re fine. Narcissa Malfoy is getting ready to depart England for good. She’s been traveling back and forth to slowly collect all her things while she has the time, and withdrawing money and closing accounts and making new ones. Took Draco a while to convince her to turn against her lord, but he managed. Draco’s been helping her where he can.”

Harry smiled sweetly. “You don’t mind Fleur being around, eh?”

Scoffing, Ginny pointed her finger at Tom. “I don’t know how he does it, but he’s not affected by her at all! He acts completely normal.” Harry frowned and narrowed her eyes at Tom. He shook his head slightly.

Ah. It was the Love Potion he was born under. Apparently, he had such a small capacity for love, that he was only affected by one person at a time. Should Harry really and honestly die sometime, then he would have to re-learn the emotion for someone else. It was an interesting psychological aspect of potions effects on unborn babies. She wondered if Severus would be interested in writing a report on it.

She’d certainly read it, and she knew Albus would too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Friday! Yay! An update, and then I'll see (not really seeing you but whatever) you all on Monday. ; D  
> Thanks for understanding, and sorry for the update being late! *winces  
> Ink...


	3. A Day in the Life of the Weasleys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione meets the punching telescope.

“Harry!”

“Eh, sorry?” Harry blinked at them and then took another bite of her food. Ron snorted.

“They were asking what you thought about Fleur marrying Bill?”

“I think Bill is one lucky bastard who will always get lucky.” Tom started choking on his water. Ron went completely red in sync with Hermione, but Ginny only barked a laugh.

The youngest Weasley was really getting around- much to Tom’s brotherly irritation- and had become rather brazen in her own sexuality. Harry was jealous.

Even though she was proud of her virginity (nearly everything else had been taken from her, her childhood, her innocence, her love, her trust, her sanity, and so she was incredibly protective of everything she had left to herself), Harry still wanted to be self-assured in her own image. She knew she was beautiful. Exotically and enchantingly beautiful. That wasn’t the problem. She just…wasn’t physically confident and Ginny was. Even Hermione was more physically confident than Harry was (she wore bikinis for pity sake! Harry was still wearing one pieces with skirt attachments). 

Antonin had been extremely patient with her, just going at her pace, not preaching or pushing or mocking or undermining… Tears pricked her eyes and she quickly pushed those thoughts away. Taking a deep breath, Harry shrugged at Ginny. They were still arguing over Fleur’s ‘invasion’ of the Weasley household.

“You should have seen Mum flip when Fleur tried to impress Tom and flirt with him.” Ron snorted.

Hermione saw Harry’s worry and confusion and hastened to explain. “She wasn’t trying to betray Bill. She sensed that Tom wasn’t affected by her, and she was curious.”

Ginny snorted angrily. “Still think it was in bad taste! Mum was right to be pissed.”

Rolling his eyes, Tom stood up and stretched. “There’s still daylight left. I’m going flying.” For him, that meant without a broom. Ron sulked. 

“You still won’t tell me that spell.”

Smirking, Tom shrugged and eyed his foster brother. “What the use of secrets if they aren’t kept?”

“You keep too many!”

“Not true. I told Ginny the spell.” Tom shrugged lazily and walked out of the room. Ginny yelped at Ron’s squawk of outrage. Their noise level brought Mrs Weasley’s attention back onto them and they were relegated to certain tasks, though Tom and Harry managed to escape. 

Harry contacted Sirius mentally and informed him that she was going to spend the night and then go shopping with the family and Hermione the next afternoon. He told her that he’d meet her at the joke shop with Remus, eager to see what the second generation Marauders were doing with her winnings. 

Looking up, Tom exhaled. “Tonks was here earlier, before you arrived.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, she’s been acting strangely.” He shrugged. “Crying a lot.”

Frowning, Harry sighed and shook her head. “She’s in love with Remus, but my uncle is a moron who thinks he’s too old and not human enough for her. He doesn’t want their possible kids to have werewolf tendencies.”

Tom pulled a face. “That’s…” He shrugged slowly. “Well, actually, as reasons go, they’re better than yours for not dating me.”

“Oi!” She turned away and pressed her lips together. “The wand is gone, Tom. You aren’t immortal and if this war doesn’t end, if Grindelwald-”

“Harry…” He turned her around and kissed her forehead before smiling at her. “You worry too much. I’m not pushing you, but let me know as soon as you are able.”

“Let you know what?”

“That you’re ready to date me.” He smirked at her and then linked their arms and walked back into the house. “As for now, I am perfectly fine with being very close friends.”

Romantic friends who might be more. Harry held back a sob. She tried to give Tom a smile. “Thanks for giving me time, Tom. I’m still…yeah.”

He sighed and wrapped his arms around her, giving her an immediate safe feeling. “Take a deep breath, Harry. It will be okay in the end.”

She nodded and then they were swept away to do some work. Well, Tom was (his flying would have to be postponed much to his irritation), but Harry was told to rest and relax as she was a guest.

By the time it was evening, Harry was smiling when she slipped into her pull out bed that connected to Ginny’s. Hermione was sleeping next to her. 

The next morning, Fleur brought Harry breakfast in bed before Mrs Weasley could, and Harry immediately saw more of the strange tension in the female folk. Having joined them in the girls’ room, Tom leaned over and whispered to her while Mrs. Weasley defended her stance on Bill’s engagement length. 

“So, why aren’t you affected by her? Jealousy and all that.”

“Because I know I’m beautiful.” Harry fluttered her eyelashes at him flirtatiously and then laughed, promptly breaking the argument into pieces. “Well! Congratulations to them, and I think they should live and marry and love life with each other.” Harry thought about the time stamps she could see in everyone’s souls. They were shortening and then lengthening crazily. “Uncertain times…we are entering a war. They deserve what little happiness and peace they can get before hell breaks loose.”

Ron exhaled slowly, blowing out his breath noisily. “There you go again, Miss Sunshine.”

Flushing, Harry focused on her breakfast. “Sorry!”

Tom snorted and then gave her a hug before grabbing Ginny. “Enough complaints about the excess of phlegm. Woman, into the kitchen with you. I am hungry.” He grinned to show he wasn’t being serious.

She swatted him with a pillow, but they raced down the stairs laughing like loons. Harry stared in surprise. She had never seen Tom so…relaxed. Of course, this was the first time in a long time she had spent the night with the Weasleys…

“Yeah, Tom’s really happy lately, and he hasn’t even hexed anyone.” Ron snorted and then stood up. “Well, I’m off downstairs.” He sniffed slightly. “Not everyone can get breakfast in bed.”

“Save Fleur’s sister and maybe you will.” Harry winked at him and then ate more of her food. Ron gave her a slightly dopey smile but Hermione quickly bullied him out of the room so she and Harry could get ready for the day. 

While they were dressing, Hermione picked up a telescope and the next thing Harry knew she gave a yelp and had a black eye. Of course, Harry laughed so hard she fell off the pullout bed. As she was getting dressed (after being smacked with said telescope by Hermione) she jumped when she felt Albus nudging her mind. 

Standing there completely naked, she felt really weird talking to him. Shrugging that off, she opened her mind to his.  _ ‘Yes?’ _

_ ‘I just realized that I had forgotten to inform you that I am planning on sharing some memories with you. About Grindelwald. We can disguise this as extra lessons with me to prepare you for the coming war. After all, everyone knows you’re the Chosen One.’ _

_ ‘Oh shut up, Albus. And that is more than acceptable. I completely agree with the old adage of “know thy enemy”.’ _

_ ‘Yes indeed. Well, I shall see you at Hogwarts then. Have a good day shopping.’ _

Harry laughed softly and wished him a good day too before closing her mind. She pulled on her forest green pencil skirt that she had Nina pack for her. And then she tucked in her silk white long sleeve button up blouse with a short collar. Humming softly, Harry tied her tie, a thin one that matched the green of her skirt. After buttoning her sleeves, she pulled on her black closed-toed wedges and then grabbed her black purse. 

She tied her hair back with a green ribbon and then colored her hair to be a warm brown. Her eyebrows were colored too to match. Then she colored her eyes to be violet. With a grin, she put a matte lipstick on her lips that was a soft brown, just a tad darker than her regular skin tone. After that, she touched up her eye makeup and put on her emerald and black steel earrings. She then attached a thin chain of black steel with an emerald teardrop pendant on it. Unbuttoning the top two buttons so the pendant could be seen, Harry smirked at the mirror.

Just as she was about to leave, the mirror whistled.

Giving it an alarmed look, Harry laughed and blushed warmly before dashing down the stairs. Both Ron and Tom gaped at the same time. Harry did a fast twirl before kissing both Ron and Tom on their cheeks. “The mirror whistled at me. That’s never happened before.” She gave a light giggle and then beamed at her two friends. Hermione swallowed as she looked at how silky and tame Harry’s hair was. 

“What spell did you use?”

“Something that Sirius taught me.” Harry leaned over and murmured the spell as she moved her wand. Suddenly, Hermione’s hair was straight and smooth. Ron blinked.

“Blimey! You look so different, Hermione!”

Ginny was quick to add, “Good different.”

Nodding, Harry motioned for Hermione to twirl and she smiled. “That’s the spell. It’s pretty easy, no hard pronunciations, or challenging wand movements.”

“Thank you!” Hermione gave Harry a tight hug and then sat down quickly to eat.

Ginny eyed Harry’s lipstick. “What type is that?”

“Oh! Matte lipstick! Eet is all ze rage in France!” Fleur rushed into the room and squealed over Harry’s appearance. “Now ziss is better, ‘Arry! You look so much smoother!” Harry smiled and nodded.

“True, that dark makeup was a bit over the top. I can’t believe I wanted to wear black lipstick. Glad McGonagall told me not to. I mean, I could have pulled it off, but it would have been way too much.” She smiled softly. “Though I do miss the wings along my eyes.”

Fleur nodded sagely. “Oui, that was a nice touch.” They quickly ate the morning meal, with the tension slowly ramping back up. 

Harry could see why Ginny didn’t like Fleur. With the half veela’s natural grace and poise, and her older age, Fleur was superior to Ginny and knew it, or at least that was how Ginny was seeing the situation. Harry knew that Fleur was just incredibly confident and completely at home in her own skin. She wasn’t intimidated by anyone, having gotten used to being the center of attention. That rubbed Ginny and Hermione the wrong way, as they were both feeling mortal and not worthy, which of course made them bristle. 

However, Harry could tell that Fleur wasn’t like Pansy. She wasn’t being purposefully cruel. She was just being herself, confident and completely at home, with just a touch of Lockhart. 

Covering her grin, Harry looked at Ron and Tom, who were trying to figure out why Hermione had a black eye. When Mrs. Weasley entered the room, she yelped. “My dear! Hermione what happened?!”

Harry sighed plaintively. “She just wouldn’t stop with the lectures, Aunt Molly.”

“What?!”

Laughing and waving her hands, Hermione gave Harry a look. “Fred and George have a punching telescope in their room that Harry and I stayed the night in.”

“Oh…those boys!” Mrs. Weasley quickly grabbed some healing salve to help with Hermione’s eye.

Tom looked out the window for the third time that morning. Ron frowned. “What’s up, Tom?”

“Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just thought it was time for the owls to come…” He smirked. “With the OWLs.” That set Hermione off. 

Harry groaned. “Somebody please punch her again.” Molly gave her a sharp look of warning. Harry smiled apologetically.

After a few more spells, Molly frowned. “I’m sorry dear, but it won’t come off.”

“WHAT?!”

Ginny rolled her eyes. “It’s Fred and George’s idea of a joke, making sure it can’t come off.” 

“But it’s got to come off! I can’t go around looking like this.” Harry stifled a giggle, not wanting to be smacked again.

Fleur gave them all a sweet smile. “Bill told me ‘ow Fred and George are very amusing!”

“I can hardly stop from laughing.” Hermione’s response was a bit…scathing. Harry glanced at Tom who rolled his eyes. 

Deciding the change the subject, Harry spoke up, “Aunt Molly, you sure no owls have come yet?” Hermione froze and stared at the woman with rapt attention. She looked rather strange with a black eye. Harry tried not to stare. 

The owls did arrive eventually. 

The family had decided to stay until the owls came before traveling to Diagon. Harry informed Sirius, who wished her luck and then proceeded to laugh at the mental image of Hermione with a black eye.

Four owls came into the kitchen. Tom opened his swiftly and read the contents carefully. He scowled only once, but said nothing. Ron did the same, rolling his eyes at some things. 

After struggling for a bit, Harry got her letter. Ginny had to help Hermione, who was shaking too bad.


	4. The Joke's On You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visit to Weasley Wizards' Wheezes and a little stalking on the side make for a perfect afternoon. ; D

Tom sidled up to Harry and looked at her letter. 

**Ordinary Wizarding Level Results**

**_Pass Grades:_ ** _ Outstanding (O), Exceeds Expectations (E), Acceptable (A) _

**_Fail Grades:_ ** _ Poor (P), Dreadful (D), Troll (T) _

_ Harriet Lilith Potter has achieved: _

Arithmancy - O

Astronomy - E

Care of Magical Creatures - O

Charms - O

Defense Against the Dark Arts - O

Divinations - A

Herbology - E

History of Magic - A

Potions - E

Transfigurations - O

Tom snorted. “Not bad.”

“Let me guess. All O’s?” Harry arched an eyebrow at him. He snorted.

“All except one.” He handed her his. He had gotten an E in Herbology. “Just don’t like getting my hands dirty.” He smirked at her.

Rolling her eyes, Harry handed hers to Ron’s and got his and smiled tensely. Ron hadn’t gotten any O’s, but he seemed happy about his outcome. Harry yelped. " How in Merlin’s name did you get an E in History, Ronald?!”

Ron grinned at her. “I’ll have you know that I can read books, Harriet.” Tom knew that Ron had put an audio charm on the book and had listened to it that way while doing a Muggle jigsaw puzzle. When he asked, Ron had quietly and nervously told him that he couldn’t read anything. It never made sense to him. The words were all twisted up in his head and the letters never unscrambled. It was really weird. 

Tom had later done the research and found out that this was a common Muggle issue in learning. It was called Dyslexia, and often it played a major roadblock in learning for school children, however, for whatever reason, it was relatively rare in Magical communities. No wonder Ron hadn’t shown a single care about learning. He had already given up. 

After that, Tom had found- with a little urging from Dumbledore- it in himself to want to try and tutor Ron. He had shown Ron his findings, explaining how there wasn’t anything truly wrong with him, just a little hitch in his reading skills that he could overcome. Others had, so could Ron. 

After that, Ron did better in the OWL tests for the rest of the week. Tom was glad he could help. He smiled at his brother. Ron beamed back.

They looked at the silent Hermione, who was looking disappointed. Harry snorted. “Let me guess, you failed to get one O so you’re gonna sulk?”

Fleur laughed. “She is zat type of student?” Harry nodded. Shaking her head, Fleur smiled. “My sister eez the same way. Very frustrating.” Harry was not oblivious to the dark look that Hermione had shot the woman. 

The conversation changed from grades to the events happening. There were more riots and Magics acting up in bigger cities in countries around Europe. Norway and France were especially feeling the brunt. Durmstrang was rumored to becoming a military school for New Nazi Youth. Beauxbaton was becoming something of a spy school.

Fleur swallowed and clung to Bill the moment he and his father returned from work that afternoon. “My family eez fleeing France, all of them. It eez no longer safe for my father.” She smiled at Harry. “Only thanks to the Potter Shipping company that so many from France ‘ave managed to escape.”

Harry smiled and grabbed her hand gently. “They will be able to return to their homes again. I will settle for nothing less.” Fleur relaxed almost immediately at those words. She smiled. 

“Thank you, ‘Arry.”

They went to Diagon that evening and met up immediately with Sirius and Remus. There were quite a few people looking around suspiciously, wondering who was a sympathizer to their former Minister’s assassin. Harry immediately noticed that no one trusted each other anymore. 

She sighed and shook her head before focusing on what they were coming for. Supplies, school things, and that joke shop. 

She saw Draco there, doing his own shopping without his mother with him. He wore the family ring proudly on his finger and challenged anyone with a look to accuse him of anything like his father’s crimes.

No one did. 

When he saw Harry and Tom, he broke into a smile and shook Tom’s hand and gave Harry a fast hug. Harry grinned at him, noting how he gave a single nod to the group behind her. Well, he was coming around to blood traitors. That was interesting.

“How is your mother’s vacation?”

“She’s enjoying Denmark extremely.” Draco smiled at them, and then continued. “By the way, Harriet, I think I saw a trio of frightened looking Muggles who look a lot like the monsters who use to raise you.”

Sirius snarled. “Did you hex them?”

“That would have brought attention to me, so no.” Draco sighed softly. “However, you’ll be pleased to note that they are traveling to New York City…” Draco nodded to them once more before walking away.

Harry smiled and nodded her head once. “Very good.”

They continued shopping.

When they finally made it to the joke shop which had a sign on the front in very bright letters, 

_ WHY ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT GRINDELWALD?! _

_ YOU SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT GOING BALD! _

_ THE NEW SCALPING HAIRBRUSH THAT GETS RID OF EVERY KNOT! _

Molly Weasley nearly fainted. “They’ll be murdered in their beds!”

Harry was roaring with laughter along with Ron. They quickly went inside, and Fred was sheepish as he fixed Hermione’s eye. Harry winked at him. “It was bloody amusing. I needed the laugh.”

“Oh shut up!” Hermione stomped off to join Ginny.

Harry looked at the kids and young adults and wondered…all the shops were open, people were acting suspicious, but everyone was still doing business with everyone. Though some shops were closed now because the owners were signing up for the army- a draft system had started during the 40s and continued each time Grindelwald started up another fight.

She frowned and then felt Albus nudge her mind. She let him in.

_ ‘Just seen Scrimgeour. The man’s won the position as Minister, beating out Kingsley. I’ve read his soul. He’s not a sympathizer of Grindelwald, but he’s also unsure if war is the best case. He doesn’t think England is ready for another World War, and he doesn’t want to scare the people anymore than they are.’ _

_ ‘He’s an idiot.’  _

_ ‘I told him roughly the same thing, and funny enough, he wasn’t very amused.’ _

Rolling her eyes, Harry petted a pygmy puff and thought back to him,  _ ‘So what is his plan of action?’ _

_ ‘Shore up defenses around England. He’s warned the Prime Minister about Grindelwald possible stirring up war in the known countries, Russia, China, Japan, Germany, Norway, Brazil, Austria, France, Italy, and Turkey.’  _

_ ‘The Prime Minister was probably happy to hear about this.’ _

_ ‘He was ecstatic, Harriet. Simply roared with laughter. Anyways, the Minister is insistent that, should Grindelwald, break the Statutes in the other countries, all communities in England will be safe from notice. He told me to my face that if Grindelwald attacked, England would fight them off, but anything that happened in other countries is none of England’s concern.’ _

_ ‘WHAT?! But that’s…doesn’t he realize that the moment Grindelwald busts the statutes in all those countries, there is nothing stopping the Muggles or Grindelwald from causing a domino effect and destroying the world?!’ _

_ ‘My dear Harriet, you are barking at the wrong individual. I am the messenger. Oh! Also, he might be asking you to be the face of the Ministry, to win back the people’s support. Turn him down gently, won’t you. Or if you refuse to do that then at least tell me beforehand so I can see the colors his face turns.’ _ That said, Albus swiftly cut the connection and Harry was left fuming at the pacifism of the Ministry at the wrong times! 

First cowardice instead of war planning and now pacifism instead of war drives! They’d never get this right! It was all down to timing! Everything had a moment, and pacifism should happen after the Dark Lords knocking on their front door were dealt with!

While Harry was having this mini-meltdown, Sirius and Remus were noticing someone they did not want to see ever again.

Remus gripped Sirius’ arm tightly and pointed. “Look!”

Looking obediently, Sirius cursed softly. “Fenrir Greyback? Seriously?! He has the fucking gall to show his face in daylight?!”

There was a set dark look in Remus’ eyes. “Let’s go.” 

Sirius yelped and then snatched up Harry’s cloak that they had on hand always (Harry had given it to them since Death didn’t want her using it, and she had Necromancy. Also until Sirius relearned everything, he had the cloak to vanish with). 

Pulling it on, they slipped away to investigate. Sirius grinned. “Feel like proper Marauders again.”

Remus snorted and then stilled. “He’s meeting someone.”

They watched in shock as Pansy Parkinson hurried down the alley and nodded to him before they both moved quickly towards the shop of Borgin and Burke’s. 

Slipping over to the window, Sirius and Remus looked through the window and watched at Pansy looked over a huge cabinet. Sirius cursed. “Vanishing Cabinet. They come in pairs. Wonder where the other one is…”

“And why Parkinson and Greyback want it.” Remus growled low in his throat. “We need to call the aurors. Greyback is wanted and so is Parkinson.”

“Wait a mo.” They watched as the girl tossed Borgin a pouch of gold that was clearly marked with the mark with the sign of Grindelwald. The man handled it like it was a lit stick of dynamite and Parkinson laughed at him. Sirius snarled. “That girl is insane. I remember looking at her. She killed an auror who wasn’t even near us when Grindelwald was going into the Ministry. She’s like a little Bellatrix in training.”

Remus felt ill. “Don’t say that.”

“It’s true.” Sirius tried not to think about how he acted just as insane and doting on the Dark Lord. It had crossed his mind once or twice, that if Grindelwald was in complete control of his name why hadn’t the man done anything again? And why had he made Sirius so…flirtatious towards him?

It made him feel dirty, so Sirius focused on what they were witnessing. When the duo left the shop, they immediately split up. Sirius moved after Pansy, while Remus stalked his prey.

Pansy vanished in a crack suddenly, making Sirius curse angrily. “He’s teaching her advanced magic!” He apparated to his goddaughter and waited for Remus.

Remus came back looking a little worse for wear. “What happened with Parkinson?”

“Disapparated before I could get to her.” Sirius nodded to Remus.

“I attacked him after we were far enough from the shop for him to think I wouldn’t know about it. He held me off and then tried ripe my throat out. I…transfigured his smallclothes into Wolfsbane.”

Sirius flinched. “Ouch!”

“He disapparated before I could go in for the kill.”

“You mean capture…”

Remus looked at his friend. “I meant what I said.” With that, he walked back into the Weasley shop. Sirius exhaled tiredly and then frowned suddenly.

“Why would Parkinson apparate…wouldn’t she have a portable portkey? And why is she still in England while Grindelwald is in France according to Severus…” Sirius leaned against the outside wall of the shop and muddled through it.  _ She’d only stay in England on his orders. Her parents have completely disowned her. What is in England that Grindelwald wants her to stay for? _ He straightened like a shot. “Hogwarts. She was once a student. She knows the layout better than most of his spies would. Knows the students…can easily fit in, has all the robes…she’s gunning for Hogwarts…” Sirius moved quickly to Godric’s Hollow and banged on Albus’ door. 

Aberforth answered it. He was dressed for sleep with a robe. Sirius blinked at him. “It’s eight!” He nearly smacked himself. Of all the first things to say. 

Shooting him a dark look, Aberforth stepped aside. “What do you want?”

“Now, Brother, is that any way to treat a friend?” Albus smiled at Sirius and then ushered him into his study. “What’s brought you here so abruptly?”

“Remus and I saw Greyback and Parkinson in Knockturn. We followed them and saw them go into Borgin and Burke’s. They were looking at a  _ single _ vanishing cabinet and then bought it and had it stored in the shop.” Sirius stared at the brothers. “I think Parkinson and Greyback are here among others, like Bellatrix and Severus, to raid Hogwarts!”

“Well, that is undoubtedly one of Grindelwald’s plans, but he won’t try doing that just yet, Sirius.” Albus chuckled. “The vanishing cabinet is clever. Its mate must be the one on the fourth floor. But I broke it myself to keep others from using it since I couldn’t find the partner. He’ll undoubtedly try and have it fixed.”

“Through Parkinson!”

“But she is unable to return to school.” Albus spread his hands. “I know their plan, and I understand what you’re saying, but Pansy Parkinson has been specifically warded against. She will not be allowed to cross any boundary by ground, water, or sky.”

Sirius scowled. “There’s gotta be a way. Grindelwald wouldn’t waste his time with this without knowing it’ll work.”

“I understand, Sirius. I do, but until you can think of a way for Pansy to get  _ inside _ Hogwarts in order to sneak around  _ my _ castle and fix a cabinet that I have put in a hidden room, I can do nothing.”

Aberforth frowned. “She might have an accomplice.”

“That is why I, Severus, Blaise, and Harriet will be scanning every soul of every student in Hogwarts. We will find the traitor before too long.”

Sirius exhaled and still didn’t feel satisfied, but Albus had thought of everything… “Alright, as long as you know.” 

“Thank you for being so prompt in telling me.” Albus smiled at him and then saw him to the door. Sirius still looked disgruntled, but he didn’t argue with the man as he disapparated with a swift crack and went back to Diagon, just in time to greet the others as they were leaving the shop. From Harry’s grim face, Remus had told her. He quickly informed his goddaughter that Albus already knew and was wanting her help to scan every soul in the school for spies.

She huffed. “That’s actually a good thing to do no matter what. We should do that every term. Things can happen in a blink, brainwashing too.”

Sirius nodded tersely. He well knew.


	5. Slug Club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tom meets Slughorn. Harry is so done.

It wasn’t long before school started again, and they were on the train. Harry looked at her friends. “Where should we sit-”

“Oh Harry, I’m sorry, but we’ve got to do our rounds. We’re still prefects this year-”

Waving her off, Harry tried for a smile. “Right.” She had Antonin last year to keep her company, and now… Swallowing, she turned to Ginny, but her other friend was already going off with her other friends and waving at her. She swallowed and felt a sudden burst of…dizziness.

“Breathe.” 

Drawing herself up straight, Harry obeyed Death’s order and just breathed. 

“How often have these spells come up?”

_ ‘First one _ .’ She swallowed and moved to find a compartment. She quickly found one with Neville and Luna. Several of the students who had learned from her last year in DAM waved and invited her into their compartments, but she just smiled and slipped into the one Luna and Neville were in. Neville had changed overnight, much like Tom had last year. 

He had grown about a foot and lost possibly half his bodyweight. His shoulders were also broader, but he still looked awkward, like he was a stranger shoved inside a random body.

Harry was just about to talk to Neville and ask his opinion if she should turn DAM into a study group instead of an outright class when there was a noise at their compartment entrance. 

A boy came up and grinned at her and winked. “Hey Harriet, I’m Romulus Vane. You don’t have to sit with them. Come and join us.” His group was a bunch of the more elite purebloods in Gryffindor, who had never even spoken to Harry or been aware of her existence until now. She was the Chosen One. The Girl Who Lived. 

Also, there had been a leak as to how many seats she was inheriting and how many houses and fortunes she was uniting under one bloodline. Essentially, she was a walking goldmine for social status and wealth. Everyone wanted her. Sirius had told her that he and Remus were hard pressed to burn all the suitor offers and marriage proposals and arrangements.

It had been amusing at first to count how many owls a day came to her house during the summer, but now she was just getting annoyed. 

“These are my friends, Mr. Vane, and I will thank you to address me as Miss Potter or Potter as we have not been properly introduced.” Her voice was cool. “Have a good day.”

He blinked at her in surprise and then with a stunned nod, he backed away and closed the door. Luna hummed. “Hopefully Tom Riddle won’t hear about that. He’s awfully in love with you.”

Neville snorted at Harry’s blush. “What? Practically everyone in Slytherin and Gryffindor knows it. He was pining so hard for you in fifth year. It was actually painful to watch.”

Standing, Harry coughed slightly and turned and opened the train window partly, not enough for Trevor to make a suicidal bid for freedom though.

Another person came to the door with a note. Neville frowned. “Who’s Professor Slughorn?”

Harry groaned piteously as she remembered Albus’ request for her to beguile Slughorn into becoming a more brave soldier for the cause. “I would rather die a thousand deaths in vats of boiling acid than go to this group.”

Neville choked and stared at her with wide eyes. “Surely he can’t be that bad?” He was clearly thinking Slughorn was going to be another Snape, or worse, an Umbridge.

Harry waved his worries away. “He’s an overstuffed walrus.” She hummed softly. “Or rather he’s a fat spider living off the fame and fortune and hard work of his students by affiliation and connections. Since I’m the  _ Chosen One, _ ” her sneer was truly a work of art, competing with Snape’s own, “he clearly wants to add me to ‘the shelf’. Which are, essentially, his self made tributes to his own glory and prestige. He’s a loathsome sloth, but I have to befriend him.”

“Why?”

Making a face, Harry looked at Luna. “Well, he  _ does _ have connections, and if I don’t secure his allegiance to the cause of the Statute, then he might slip over to Grindelwald…never underestimate Grindelwald’s silvertongue.” Harry had devoted an entire lesson day to that lecture for her former students. She had to warn them about how smooth Grindelwald could be when he wanted something. 

Harry frowned softly. “Wonder if I should teach DAM some Occlumency…”

“Yes!” Neville and Luna grinned. “Please keep up the lessons! You really make things a lot clearer and I learn more when I’m not tense or…stressed.”

“That’s to be expected. Your magic is entwined with your emotions. The more frazzled you are, the less you can concentrate, and honestly determination, concentration, and intent are the three key things to making spells and magical rituals work.” Harry smiled when Neville pulled out his DAM notes and started writing down what she was saying. She laughed when suddenly her compartment was crowded with more students from her former group.

Starting then, she began to speak about how important Occlumency was. “There will be several sympathists who are talented in Legilimency, which is essentially magical peeping into people’s heads.” She continued to talk until it was time for her to go to Slughorn’s compartment. She stood up along with Neville and smiled at the group as she slipped through them and up a few cars. 

When they finally made their way through the group, Harry was flustered with all the open staring. She had always hated it. She was a household name, and the Minister was an ex-auror, a Dark Wizard hunter. She did not have the Ministry in her pocket, so…that was dangerous. All of this was dangerous. 

She couldn’t get caught and have her friends on the lamb with her, and she couldn’t abandon her friends either. Swallowing, she shouldered through and opened Slughorn’s compartment. 

Draco wasn’t there, because of the actions of his father, but that was fine. He was too busy working from his compartment and sending off owls and dictating to self-writing quills. The Malfoy Cosmetics and Accessories would not run itself. Nor would the political duties that his father had been misusing this whole time. Draco was far too busy to hobnob with the masses. Harry was extremely jealous of him.

However, Tom and Blaise were there. They were the only two Slytherins to be there. Then there was Ginny, Harry, Neville, Belby, and…McLaggen. Harry hated him. 

He was one of those Gryffindors who was  _ related _ to someone…like a Lion version of the Black Family. It was…nauseating. 

Harry settled next to Blaise and quickly made retching noises only Tom, Ginny, and Blaise could hear. Tom nudged her, trying hard not to laugh as Slughorn ruled like a king over his court. Ginny looked completely exasperated.

Tapping Blaise’s mind, Harry spoke up to him.  _ ‘Make sure Tom doesn’t get too out of control in his buttering of the bread.’ _

Blaise looked at Tom and realized that Tom was flattering with near perfect amounts of tease and ‘sincerity’. The young man was in his element, and Slughorn was eating it up. Ginny’s looks of complete exasperation increased.

The lunch was… Well, Harry lost her appetite the moment McLaggen tried to flirt with her. Tom’s antennae were locating a threat almost immediately. He narrowed his eyes at the boy and started planning how to…deal with the bastard.

Meanwhile, Harry and Ginny were trying to keep Neville from melting to the floor in a puddle of awkwardness. 

When Slughorn finally turned away from Tom, and started interrogating, his guests, Harry felt like screaming and clawing the walls. 

The fat snake finally landed his eyes on her and  _ beamed _ . “And Harriet Potter! Where to begin! You know of course, that everyone is beginning to call you the Chosen One.” 

Harry knew her smile was painful, or rather, pained. Ginny and Tom were sniggering in the background. She vowed to get them back. Then, Slughorn decided to list out her names and titles, Heir of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, oh but…

Slughorn turned to Blaise. “Isn’t your mother engaged to Sirius Black?”

“She is, but as I am due to inherit my own fortune from her, I don’t need to have the title Black. The Zabinis are famous already in Italy in both Muggle and Magical circuits, as many of my relatives are celebrities and top models. My mother also owns a famous fashion brand, Zillo.” 

“Oh! You’re mother owns Zillo?! Why my dear boy, I had no idea!” Harry laid a bet that ten to one Slughorn had no idea what Zillo was.

Blaise smirked softly and then continued, “In fact, Harriet, I was wondering, since the Potters own all the Owl shipping and mailing delivery systems, as well as the shipping lanes in the oceans, could we cut a deal with you? You get all our business, and-”

“I’ll give you mine at a discount. I think we can talk it through with my board of directors.” Harry smiled sharply. “I would simply  _ love _ to get a foothold in Italy.” 

Blaise smiled just as sharply. “Yes, I imagine you would.”

The lunch continued on in that manner, until Harry heard the first words meaning her escape. She practically shadow traveled out of there. 

It was when they were all seated at their tables that Harry remembered she had failed to tell her friends exactly who Slughorn was going to replace. 

Ron’s shouted, “No!” caused quite a few to either nod in agreement or titter. Harry melted into her seat when Hermione and Ginny glowered at her for not telling them. 

Tom was bored. He honestly couldn’t care who taught. He’d ace the course anyways.

Daphne and Astoria were smirking along with most of the other Slytherins. This time they would reign supreme over DADA. Harry chuckled softly.

“Well, looks like a lot of people will be asking to be DAMed.” Ron snickered and nodded in agreement. Hermione looked a bit…ill.

As they were walking to their tower and talking about their classes, Harry personally thought Hermione was insane to give up Care of Magical Creatures. 

“Well, you were acing Arithmancy. Why’d  _ you _ give it up?”

“I got bored of it.” Harry rolled her eyes. “I’m doing more in the war and can’t be bothered by school.” That sentence seemed to spit on everything Hermione stood for and believed, but Ron cut in before they could fight about anything. 

“Well, I’m keeping the class. I know for a fact that Tom and the others are too.” He smiled softly. “I hope we do pegasi or something this year.”

Harry, who had scanned Hagrid’s soul, grimaced softly. “We’ll be looking into mermaid culture for the first month. Swimming down in the Black Lake.” Harry suppressed a shudder at the thought of going back to the mermaids again.

Ron cheered and raced over to where Tom was about to go into the dungeons. “You owe me five galleons, Tom!”

Looking over sharply at Harry, Tom grumbled but handed off the money. “I thought we’d be doing something like flying again.”

“Nope. Mermaids.” Ron grinned and then faltered right as Tom did. They looked over at Harry, who was laughing and joking with both Ginny and Hermione. “Shit.” Ron looked at Tom. “I can calm her down. So can you. She’ll be fine.”

Tom nodded slowly and then started moving towards the dungeons. “Alright.”

~the next morning~

Harry stared at Professor McGonagall and then remembered her promise to Albus about changing Slughorn. She grunted and took the woman’s advice as an order, and knew she and Ron would be going to Potions. Before that though, she had other classes to deal with. 

Ron nudged her. “What did McGonagall mean when she spoke to you about the tryouts?”

“Oh! I’m the new captain of the Gryffindor Team.” Harry smiled at him and then continued on, oblivious to his shock and sudden nervousness. 

They moved through classes until they got to DADA. With a heavy heart, Harry pushed into the class and sat down. 

Snape was planning on teaching them combat spells and dueling spells. Which was very, very good.

When he began speaking about wordless spells, Seamus raised his hand. “Harry can do wandless spells. Are we gonna learn that also?” He looked eager. Harry bit her lip and slid her glance sideways. 

Snape studied her. “It is not part of the curriculum, as it is too advanced and learning will take up too much time. However, should Miss Potter wish to show off her skills, she may continue her…Defense Studies.” 

Harry straightened at the blatant permission. Swallowing, she slowly raised her hand. “Come to see me later and I’ll share my breaks with you. We’ll work something out.” With that, she sat back down and focused on Snape. He eyed her and then continued the lecture. 

Tom paired himself up with Harry almost immediately. Snape rolled his eyes but allowed it since it would be…useless to have the two most powerful paired with anyone other than each other. 

Wordlessly, Harry did it both times, since she had been doing that since first year. Tom took about seven minutes into the practice to get it. Hermione noticed and pushed herself to get it three minutes later.


	6. Silver Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry gets a history lesson. Among other things...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Monday! : D  
> Ink...

Harry wanted to yawn. She looked at Snape and then thought about attacking his soul at the moment, but then thought better of it. She looked at Tom’s soul and narrowed her eyes. She pushed against him. He grunted and staggered backward. His shields tightened, and his eyes narrowed. Sweat began beading around his face as he attempted to keep Harry out of his soul. 

He had been guarding his name and a few other core secrets. She knew this, and she wanted to see them. But she was impressed when there was absolutely no way he allowed her to get through. When she eased off, she turned back to Snape, who had long since recognized this as Soul Occlumency training, and ignored them. He sympathized with Tom.

Harry spoke into their minds together,  _ ‘You think I’m rough on you? Try keeping a several thousand year old deity out. It ain’t easy.’ _

Severus hid his smirk as he started taking points off of pairs who were irritating him. Harry poked his mind, but he ignored her. 

After getting her first detention, Harry left the classroom and felt Albus poke her mind. 

_ ‘Yes?’ _

_ ‘I want to start on those memories this Saturday at 8PM.’ _

_ ‘Battle it out with Snape. He just gave me a detention.’ _

_ ‘Whatever for?!’ _

_ ‘Well, I kinda smarted off to him.’ _

_ ‘Harriet…you are truly a brazen individual.’ _

She laughed out loud, cutting off Hermione’s worry about her getting on Snape’s bad side. 

“Oh please, Snape would never get truly pissed at me. He’s too loyal. I’m his teacher.” She cut herself off when she saw Jack Sloper come running up.

~sometime later~

Of course, she got stuck with the worn copy of the textbook, but, as she thumbed through the pages, her smile grew. She knew that handwriting. She had read enough bloody essays about Shadow Manipulation and Animation to know whose book this was. 

_ ‘Oi, Snape.’ _

_ ‘What? I am in the middle of my class, Harriet.’  _

_ ‘Should I tell Aberforth about you being the Half Blood Prince? I didn’t pick that up in my trawls through your soul.’ _

_ ‘How did you-?!’ _

_ ‘Potions with Sluggy at the last minute, and no book. Ron took the proper one. I found yours in the back. Ha! Ha! Finders keepers!’ _

_‘Ergh. Just don’t destroy it.’_

_ ‘Fine. Fine. Oh! Albus has something excellent to tell you, don’t forget to ask him about it.’ _ Harry broke connection and focused on Slughorn’s lecture. She watched Tom and Hermione race each other for answers. Harry watched also as Tom let Hermione answer the one about the love potion. She made an ‘uppity’ sort of face at him as Hermione fired the answers out.

He snorted behind his hand. The other students were surprised at Harry teasing Hermione, but honestly, Harry had personally thought her friend had outgrown this…bad habit of answering every single  _ fucking _ question. (This  _ might  _ have also been the main reason Harry didn’t want to teach her friend Necromancy.) 

After Slughorn was done with his lecture, they got to work on the potions. She grinned widely as she finished it. 

Liquid Luck was HERS! She shot Tom an air kiss as he gave her a look. After class, both he and Hermione were on her. 

“How did you do that?! You beat my potion out by just a thread’s hue of difference!”

“How did you know to smash it?!” 

Ron was watching the overachievers hound Harry. She tucked her book into her pack and hummed. “Well, the book had a few notations in it from the last owner. I followed those instead.” She smiled. Tom snorted. 

“Who did it belong to?”

“The student wrote in ‘Half Blood Prince’, so who knows?” Harry shrugged.

Of course, Hermione had something to say about that. “Harriet, you have to report that book!” Tom snorted.

“Why? You honestly think she’s cheating?” 

Two splotches of color appeared on Hermione’s cheeks, but she carried on, voice slightly higher in pitch with her indignation. “Well, it wasn’t exactly her own work, was it?”

Ron snorted. Blaise spoke up. “She was following a set of instructions, Granger. Not exactly all that different from what you and I did. And I saw her offering to give you advice. You can’t blame Harry that you’re too stuck up and narrow-minded.” Ron winced at that, but pointedly made no attempt to correct Blaise. 

In fact, he added, “Could’ve been a catastrophe, couldn’t it? But she took a risk and it paid off.”

Hermione flushed angrily. “I still think it’s not right-”

Draco spoke up loudly. “Put a plug in it, Granger. You’re giving me a blasted headache. Just pipe down on your insecurities and admit that just maybe your precious school given textbooks aren’t up to snuff and just maybe some student from the past is actually smarter than you.” Tom barked a laugh and walked by them with his group. He gave a nod to Harry and then walked off to his own class.

Moving faster, Harry swallowed down the urge to tell her friend who really wrote in the book. Death appeared, startling Peeves into squealing and zooming through the ceiling. Rom shivered and looked around cautiously. 

“You aren’t going to tell her?”

_ ‘She deserves a good lesson in thinking outside the box. I can’t believe she hasn’t outgrown this silly childish urge to believe everything a teacher and textbook says!’ _

Death sighed softly and looked at her. “Keep in mind, that Hermione Granger has never had a need to double check an adult’s truthfulness. She has never been significantly lied to by a teacher or parental figure. You have. She has never been abused. You have. Your cynicism is not hers. She must learn it for herself, and do you really want her to lose that little bit of innocence?”

_ ‘That little bit of innocence will get herself and others killed. I call bullshit. Teachers and textbooks are not the be all and end all. If she refuses to look outside the box and be more than a set of school approved instructions, then I have no time for her!’ _

Death looked stunned at her declaration. He had clearly not anticipated how deeply Harry was feeling about this situation. He bowed his head slightly and sighed before vanishing. His reaction tempered Harry a bit and made her calm down. Perhaps she was being a bit too harsh, but honestly…Hermione wasn’t a child anymore. She was sixteen, and if Harry’s results were clearly superior due to some notes of another clearly smarter and more innovative student, then why shouldn’t she take advantage?

Breathing through her nose, Harry tried to reach out. “Hermione, I’m learning more from that book than all five years of potions put together.” Her friend paused and looked at her. “You might think I’m cheating, but is it really cheating if I’m learning something I wouldn’t have learned before? I’m actually getting better at Potions…shouldn’t you be happy for me?” Absolute stony silence. Harry withdrew, her expression shifting and turning colder. “I see.”

With that, she stood up and walked away. She dumped a bunch of transcripted notes at Ron’s side of the table as she walked away. “Hopefully you can read my handwriting better.”

Ron gave a gleeful shout. “Thanks!”

Hermione stared into her food, hands clenched around her fork with white knuckles.

When Saturday finally rolled around, Harry travelled up to Albus’ office and slipped inside. “What are we gonna look at?”

“First meeting.” Albus coughed softly. “Grindelwald is…very tactile, so I hope you’ll forgive me for the-”

“Lewdness? Don’t worry. I promise not to be creeped out by your past sex life.”

He blinked at her and then chuckled blandly. “I suppose that’s as comforting as you’ll be on this subject. Alright. Let’s get started.”

Harry looked at the bottle. 

“This took place in Norway, Durmstrang in the year 1889.” Albus looked nervous. She smiled at him and grabbed his hand. 

“I am not going to judge you, Albus.” Her eyes were warm. He relaxed and nodded before both of them took the plunge.

_ Albus looked around the room that he was supposed to be staying in. He frowned when a fifteen year old boy came into the room. “Who are you?” _

_ The boy chuckled at him. “These are my rooms. I decided to stay at school at the last minute for winter.”  _

_ Albus swallowed and looked at him. “I see. Well, I’ll speak to the teachers, and I will remove myself from your privacy at once.” _

_ “No need.” The blond looked at him intently. “You should not trouble yourself…I am Gellert by the way.” His eyes cut over to Albus intently. “Gellert Grindelwald.” _

_ “Albus…Dumbledore.” Albus looked around him at the dark stone room. “Not very cheerful…” _

_ “It’s Durmstrang. It is what it is.” He straightened slowly and moved closer to the Hogwarts contestant. “You have applied?” _

_ “Yes. Have you?” _

_ “Nay…” Gellert chuckled. “These challenges are oft fatal and I would have nothing to do with it.” _

_ Albus smiled grimly. “That is sadly true…” _

_ “If you agree, then why have you gone?” _

_ “Truly?” Albus looked around. “It was the only opportunity I had to visit Durmstrang. Your headmaster guards the location and visitor passes jealously.” _

_ “Indeed.” Gellert smiled slowly at Albus. “I think we will become excellent friends…don’t you?” _

_ Looking at the strange and compelling young man, Albus felt his lips twitch into a smile. “I find myself…agreeing with you. For absolutely no reason.” _

_ The young man’s eyebrows shot up. “No reason? Heh, well please allow me over the course of your stay with us in Durmstrang to remedy that opinion. I can count several reasons that are very…good.” _

_ Albus suddenly seemed to realize how close he had gotten. “R-really? I wish to hear them, but-” He slipped off the bed that he was suddenly sharing with the young man. “Perhaps after lunch.” With that, he hurried out of the room.  _

The memory ended there. Harry was incredibly disoriented. She stumbled her way to a chair and curled up. “A moment.”

Albus chuckled and then leaned against the desk and watched her. After said moment passed, she stirred. “I hate pensieves.”

“They don’t usually affect a person this badly. I wonder if it’s the magic upsetting you.”

“Probably is.” Death appeared. “You are essentially magic yourself, and so by immersing yourself into a magical object, you’re actually blending in some ways, taking too much of the memory into yourself.”

Harry re-said what Death had said. Albus looked troubled. He hadn’t anticipated how much different Harry was to any other person. “What do we do?”

“Could I just look into your soul? We can both sink into a trance, and you can guide me through your own memories and the like.”

“Well, that will work with my own, but there are memories of others…”

Harry grunted. “I’ll suffer through that then, but no more than I need to.” She really did look ill. 

Chuckling, Albus nodded. “Alright then. Do you have any questions?”

“Other than why you scuttled out of there like he was coming at you with a knife-”

“1898, Harriet. Same sex is not exactly…” He trailed off but she caught his meaning and laughed. 

“Ah, right. Stupid me.”

“Not at all. It’s sometimes very easy to forget how different life was for everyone just one  _ decade _ ago let alone a century ago. If someone approached Ronald Weasley with the insistence to kiss, then the boy would probably just laugh awkwardly and tell the ‘bloke’ he’s straight. But in the late 1800s…”

“Very true.” She tested herself gently and found she could stand. “Right, so Grindelwald is conniving. He wanted you from the very beginning. Why?” Her eyes were intense. “Why you?”

Albus sighed and shook his head, rubbing his red beard. “I don’t know. He’s never truly said. Perhaps he was initially attracted to my power? I don’t know. At that time, he wasn’t a Necromancer. He became that during the latter 1900s.”

“When was he expelled?”

“Almost one month after the tournament was completed.” Albus chuckled. “You may have heard that I…ah, got disqualified.”

“Yeah. What was that about?”

“Well, I and Grindelwald were…caught in…well in a tryst by one of the teachers. Now Durmstrang is dark, and with darkness comes certain liberal attitudes. The teacher didn’t report me to the others from Hogwarts, and that suited me just fine. I was willing to be disqualified if it meant none knew about the heir of Dumbledore being…what I am.” Albus exhaled slowly. 

“So Gellert is gay.”

“Well, no. He’s actually bisexual. Told me about five months into our correspondence.” Albus rolled his eyes in a surprisingly Muggle move. “Then promptly apologized for having told me over a bloody letter.” Harry snickered softly and then walked over to the pensieve. 

“So you did the dirty and started writing letters. Got things a bit backwards.” She smirked at him. 

Albus gave her a completely unamused look. “As the Muggles say, ‘Bite me’.”

Her jaw dropped.

Turning, Albus shook his head slowly and then slipped the memory back into his head. Harry shivered as she watched. “Always reminded me of glowing parasites being pulled from your brain.”

Albus paused and then closed his eyes. “I hate you. Now I can’t unsee that.”

Cackling, Harry blew him a kiss and then vanished. 

Putting his things away, Albus snorted in amusement and quickly got ready for bed, pausing for a moment to look at where Harry had vanished. She had grown into quite a competent and beautiful young woman. He frowned slightly.  _ I hope Tom Riddle convinces her to date him. Merlin, do I hope it… _


	7. Waiting for the Shoe to Drop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life goes on, and Harry dreads the Quidditch tryouts.

Tom grunted and glowered at her. They had a shared free period after lunch, but he was swamped with homework, and even the great and glorious Tom Riddle had to work hard on it. 

“Why aren’t you doing it?”

Harry smirked and looked at Hermione and Ron and Blaise as they were hard at work and griping, in Ron’s case. “This is where it pays off to not be able to sleep. At night, I simply go down to the Underworld and do my homework there. My mum is brilliant in Potions and Charms, and my dad is exceptional in Transfigurations and Ancient Runes.”

Tom frowned. “What exactly are you taking?” 

“Well, the basics, Herbology, Charms, DADA, Potions, Transfigurations, and Care of Magical Creatures. And then I discontinued Astronomy, Arithmancy, Divination, and History. Replacing those with Ancient Runes, Alchemy, and Ancient Studies.”

Tom snorted. “Well, at least we have Alchemy and Care together and the core classes.” He frowned and grabbed her essay from Alchemy. “Bloody hell! You did it on the Philosopher’s Stone!”

Snickering, Harry shrugged. “Seemed pertinent to my life all things considered.”

“But the essay was about pros and cons, what-”

“The person still ages. They just exist.” Harry stared at Tom with a pained smile. “That’s not life. That’s an escape.”

“Well shit.” Tom shook his head and then scowled at her. “It’s really getting irritating though, you just grinning at us with all your homework done.”

Harry gave him her best shit eating grin and fluttered her lashes at him. “Is it?”

Blaise snorted and finished his homework for DADA. With a groan, he rubbed his face. “I just can’t wait for this to be over, but Mother is pushing me to attend a private university in Ireland.”

Looking up, Hermione blinked. “That’s right! You have magical universities in some countries. Why doesn’t England do it?”

“Dumbledore is looking into it.” Harry yawned. “Wants Hogsmeade to be turned into a University town. You know, all the students live there and attend uni. He wants Hogwarts University to be across the lake on the same side as the train station. This area is perfect for a bigger magical community, and he wants to see it grow.” Harry scowled. “He also wants to re-evaluate the curriculum of this school, but the governors are blocking his every move.”

Draco sat down next to her and frowned. “What are they blocking?”

Leaning back, Harry threw her hands into the air. “I talked to him about some things that the Muggles do. After school clubs, extra-credit groups, things like that. He liked it. He also wants a Muggle Born to teach Muggle Studies and Music and Art. Also! He wants to fix up the library. He wants all the books to be uniform, better quality. All the originals safely stored and all the thee’s and dust's translated to common English. He also wants Latin to be taught as an extra. Latin and Greek Roots as a prerequisite. Also! He wants Defensive flying so students can know how to fight a duel while on a broom. On top of that, he wants students to have a more physical fitness program. Like Muggle PE and running laps around the lake and swimming classes and such. He wants extra classes for physical combat just in case a student loses their wand and still needs to protect themselves. He wants students to be able to know how to dodge flying spells and fighting unarmed against an armed opponent.”

Tom blinked. “Damn…I would take  _ all _ the classes you just mentioned.” Hermione nodded. Ron looked interested in the flying dueling.

Rubbing at her face, Harry sighed. “He’s getting really frustrated with being stopped at every turn. Some of the governors are even accusing him of turning Hogwarts into a military school.”

Daphne frowned. “That’s not fair! All he wants is for his students to know how to survive the coming war!”

Nodding, Ron cleared his throat. “But these are blokes and biddies who are about three hundred years old. They think allowing Muggle Borns in is progressive enough.” Hermione scowled.

Draco was looking thoughtful. “How close was he to winning on the last vote?”

“One vote away.” Harry raked a hand through her hair. “Just one vote. Not all those men and women are against change. Albus has won over several. They all remember the past wars and how much their students suffered for it. Those don’t want to repeat that.”

“Get him to put me on the board, as my father was.” Draco smiled at her. “I’ll drop out of school and take up complete business and have private tutoring. Many students drop out of school and privately learn because they’re inheriting family companies. It won’t look bad on my record.” His blue eyes were gleaming. “Once I’m out of Hogwarts, he can put the vote to the students, as usual. Then I’m home free.” 

Harry grinned and left her things as she raced off to see it done. Tom was grinning. “With that single vote over, Dumbledore can change the school the way he wants. Brilliant thinking.” He smiled at Draco, who flushed at the praise. 

“Thank you, Tom.”

That evening, Harry was busy with tutoring the students on nonverbal. They had come over to her table that dinner. Between bites of her food she was explaining. 

“The thing is, it’s all about intent. The wand is like a paintbrush essentially. Your intent is there, the magic upon your surroundings is paint on canvas. However, all the wand and the words help you do is better channel your intent and power. If you have extreme self-control and determination, then you could first do away with the need to speak, and then do away with the need to use your wand.” She laughed softly at their shocked looks. “It sounds simple, but it really is hard to do. Neville, why don’t you try and think the words instead of saying them. Lift this dish.”

He gave her a deer in the headlights look, but she smiled at him gently. “You can do it, Nev. You’ve faced those acolytes in the Department of Mysteries, and have done so well in the group. Don’t falter, don’t doubt.”

Taking a deep breath, he thought the words and pushed the dish upward while moving his wand in the proper movements. And just like that, the dish moved.

Harry laughed and clapped her hands. Ron caught it when Neville lost concentration in his joy. The students were grinning. 

Cormac snorted. “And really, if Longbottom can do it, then anyone can.”

Hermione leaped to her feet. “Five points from Gryffindor for bullying and being a cruel human being!” Her eyes blazed. Neville had sunk back into himself. 

Ron drawled, “Detention with Madam Pomfrey. Cleaning bedpans.” Cormac stared at them both in a rage. Harry turned and looked at him.

“You really shouldn’t insult someone. Especially not in front of the prefects.” Her eyes were filled with a strange emotion. “Your personality doesn’t quite fit Defense Against Morons.”

“Yeah.” Justin was glowering at him. “You’re one of the morons we’re defending against.”

“Two points from Hufflepuff for verbal bullying.” Hermione’s voice was soft. McLaggen glowered at them and then rushed off. Harry turned back to Neville. 

“He’s just being mean because you beat him to nonverbal spells.” Neville smiled when everyone snickered at that. The tension passed and Harry continued her lesson through dinner.

Meanwhile, the teachers were watching with amusement and wariness. Severus frowned. “If this keeps up, then I’ll be out of a job.”

“Well, you did give her permission,” Albus smirked at him and continued eating his food. Severus peeled the skin off a grape smoothly. 

“Did you see them deal with Mr McLaggen?” Pompona exhaled softly. “That was very…efficient.”

Minerva snorted. “More like ruthless.” The woman shot Severus a dark look. “I suppose Potter is simply tired of everyone picking on Longbottom.”

Ignoring her with extreme apathy, Severus continued eating. Minerva hissed at him before leaving the table. Albus chuckled in the awkward tension, but he continued gazing over at where Harry was in the hall. She was laughing with Ron about something

The next morning, Harry didn’t want to get up from the sofa and leave the Underworld. James frowned at her. “What’s up, Buttercup?”

“Ugh, I’m Quidditch Captain this year.”

He beamed. “I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!” James chuckled and sat next to her. However, Lily frowned. 

“Why aren’t you happy, dear?”

“Because I don’t want to see the group that McGonagall hinted was the largest turnout since the inception of Quidditch. It’s all about my fame. Sirius and Remus can’t burn the suitor letters fast enough or reply back with ‘fuck no’s fast enough. Well, Sirius says ‘fuck no’, Remus just replies with ‘not at this time, thank you’.”

James scowled suddenly. “I’d be right with them now, burning letters, hunting down prey, erm, possible suitors. Padfoot and Moony better do it all for me.” 

“Oh, they are.” Harry rolled her eyes and then looked at her mum. “I just don’t wanna deal with it.”

Giving her a soft smile, Lily moved her hand as it smoothing back Harry’s hair. “It’s going to be fine, Harry. This too shall pass.”

Death looked over at them. “Better get going, Harriet. Breakfast in ten minutes.”

“Right.” She blew a kiss to her parents, wanting more than anything to have a hug from them. Perhaps she should die this evening and hug them? It was something to think about.

She vanished back to her school and walked down the stairs and hallways with Hermione and Ron sniping back and forth at each other. 

When the owls came, Hermione picked up the paper, and Harry discretely swapped covers between her new book and Snape’s. Hermione didn’t notice, much to Harry’s gratefulness. 

Ron and Tom had stopped complaining since she copied the book for Tom and transcribed notes for Ron. Ron was actually learning something in potions from the notes. Which was excellent. Hermione ignored everything that was positive about it. Harry was really starting to get annoyed with her. 

Noticing that Hermione was reading the paper, Ron swallowed and spoke in a forced casual tone, “Anyone we know?”

“No fatalities, but quite a lot of property damage has been done to people who are actively supporting Grindelwald.”

“Idiots.” Ron scowled. “This makes the bastard look better.”

“They might be doing it to themselves,” Ginny spoke up quietly. “They might be just framing the pro-Ministry people and bringing attention to themselves. It’s been known to happen. Their names are in the paper, and that’s what they wanted.”

“Makes sense.” Hermione sighed and then continued reading. “Well, there have been quite a few arrests of people who seem active followers of Grindelwald. The Ministry is painting themselves as paranoid.”

Harry stabbed a sausage angrily. “While doing absolutely nothing of value.” She glanced at Hermione’s soul to read what the girl was reading and then scoffed. “Stan Shunpike? Honestly! They’re idiots!”

“I do wish you wouldn’t read my soul, Harry. It’s disconcerting.”

“Sorry.”

“Forgiven. But it’s not as if they want to look paranoid, Harry. They just want to look as though they are doing something. They are arresting correct people also, but…people are scared.” Hermione looked over at Parvati. “Her parents want her and her sister back in India. And Eloise Smidgen has already left. People don’t think Hogwarts is safe anymore.”

“Well, that’s possibly true.” Harry cut off Ron’s loyalty, and her friends gaped at her. She raised her hands tiredly. “What? You want me to list it out? Alright. First year, Grindelwald walks into school with a brainwashed teacher. Second year, Grindelwald walks into school with two brainwashed students. Third year, Morfin Gaunt traipses around school trying to kill me. Fourth year, Grindelwald walks around school as a student along with a brainwashed teacher. Fifth year, the Ministry completely upturns everything and leaves all the defenses wide open, and I nearly die at the hands of a teacher. Sixth year, everyone is simply waiting for the other shoe to drop. If I had children here, then I’d take them and go deep undercover and tutor them myself.” 

No one at the Gryffindor table could say anything to that.

Hermione hit Harry with her newspaper after a moment, looking angry. She hissed at her, “Great boost in morale, Harriet Potter! Just what frightened people want to hear!”

Wincing, Harry cleared her throat. “However, just like all the years before, I managed to beat Grindelwald at his own game. With all your training, you aren’t little children anymore. We’ll be fine.” She fed them with hope and determination and the mood boosted once again. Hermione smiled at her and then went back to the paper. Ron shared a glance with Harry and breathed slowly out through his mouth.

Harry snorted and focused on her breakfast.

After breakfast and before tryouts, Harry scanned the castle and found Hannah Abbott in the chapel. Steeling herself, she moved into the small room and knelt at the altar, crossed herself, lit a candle for the school and Hannah, and then sat down next to Hannah.


	8. One Last Goodbye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannah gets to say goodbye. Tom and Ron will always look out for Harry, and Harry...kinda loses her shit.

“I didn’t know you practiced.” Hannah’s voice was thick with tears.

Harry wrapped an arm around her former DAM student. “I won’t give you trite words. They never help. I will simply give you a single opportunity, and then I will never mention it again.” Harry looked at her calmly. “I can give you, through magic, a moment to say goodbye to your mother.”

The girl’s eyes went huge. “What?”

“She was killed because she found a secret meeting with Grindelwald’s followers. They killed her because this wasn’t a rally she discovered. It was a war meeting, a group of spies who are set to sabotage the Ministry and the school. That’s why your mother was killed. She was wanting to do her duty to her friends and government. I have magic that can allow you to speak with your mother. I found a ritual that Nick explained and taught me. It can temporarily summon a spirit into a ghost, and the living can converse with the dead.”

“Yes!”

Harry waved her hand and the chapel doors closed. She pulled out her wand and drew a large and complex ritual sigil and circle on the stone floors. 

“Is it Dark Magic?”

“Nope. No blood, body parts, or anything of that ilk.” Harry smiled at her and then pursed her lips. “The room will get cold, but that’s quite normal. Think up some personal questions just so you can assure yourself that this is really your mother.” Hannah nodded quickly, eyes wide.

Harry continued drawing on the floor. She whispered a prayer of apology for defacing the chapel floor, and then activated the array of symbols with her magic, summoning the name of the spirit she desired. 

Hannah’s mother grew from a soft glow into a greyed out figure. Hannah cried out, “MAMA!”

_ “Hannah…what’s going on…what happened?” _

“Harry helped me bring you back temporarily. You’re…you’re a ghost.”

Suzanna Abbott stared at Harry and immediately knew who Harry really was. Harry stepped back into the shadows and placed a finger on her lips with a wink.

Turning back to her daughter, Suzanna and Hannah quickly spoke to each other. Giving words of love and encouragement. Finally, in the end, Suzanna turned to Harry. 

_ “Dr. Lang Simple and his wife Josie Simple were at the meeting. Aurors Fredric Marc, Alexander Tibbits, and Hailey Johnson were also there. Lord Halcombe and Lady Halcombe were also there. As were Duchess Genevieve Lindon, and the wife of Hogwarts School Governor Richard Stormwright. Elizabeth Nott- aunt of Theodore Nott- was also there, along with Alexis Dingle, niece of the Minister of Magic.” _

Harry had to sit down. “Shit.” Hannah was pale faced. Taking a bracing breath, Harry nodded. “Thank you for telling me this. I will see them dealt with immediately and to the best of my ability. Who killed you?”

_ “Elizabeth Nott.” _

“I will have her executed. Your death will not go unavenged.”

Suzanna smiled.  _ “Thank you, Harriet Potter.” _ With a single smile and a kiss of farewell, Suzanna dissolved. Hannah burst into tears, but they were cleansing tears. With a sigh, Harry cleaned up the array on the floor, extinguished the candle, and left her alone to grieve.

Moving immediately to the Quidditch Pitch, Harry conveyed all the names to Albus, who cursed long and steady for a whole minute. 

_ ‘I will see it done. Thank you for finding out.’ _

That done, Harry turned and focused on the…were those Ravenclaws on the pitch?!

~two hours later~

Harry was still seething with anger about how many people thought it cute to waste her time. 

When the Chasers were finally found, Harry took a moment to cool down. Pulling up her hair, she magically tied it and then turned and glowered at the group. “Once again, IF THERE ARE ANY NON-GRYFFINDORS, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY!”

Among the fifty beater hopefuls, twelve left. Harry was seriously considering resigning. The Slytherins who had come out to watch were roaring with laughter. Even Tom looked close to losing his composure and laughing himself silly. She shot them an unamused glare before turning back to the group. When she was done with the beaters, quite a few wanted to beat  _ her. _

“That is my final decision! Get off the pitch, or I’ll throw you off myself!” She waved to the Keepers to come forward. The two beaters she had chosen joined the chasers. 

In an attempt to keep Ron calm, she had left the Keepers for later, hoping that everyone rejected would leave.

They didn’t. 

Exhaling, Harry silently apologized to Ron in her head and started the trials.

While McLaggen was really good, Harry couldn’t help but think he was focusing too much on his flirting muscles rather than his…actual muscles. He was flirting with her every chance he had. One glance at Tom informed Harry that he was not…particularly pleased.

She poked his mind and spoke up.  _ ‘Don’t kill him if he’s the only keeper I’ve got. If he’s a spare, then yeah, beat him to a pulp.’ _

Tom looked much happier now that he had permission. Harry snorted.

It was with her great relief that Harry was able to pick Ron over McLaggen. She made a mental note to thank Hermione for her interference later.

While the main part of the students were out in the pitch, and almost all the teachers were out there too, something rather interesting was going on inside Hogwarts.

A crow slipped through an open window and flew directly to a special room. When the door formed, the crow shifted into one Pansy Parkinson, who grinned as she looked up and down the corridor before entering the room that held the second vanishing cabinet.

After the tryouts, Ron nodded to Tom to follow him and moved quickly to Hagrid’s hut. Tom frowned but followed his brother.

“What gives? I was just about to corner McLaggen.”

“Later.” Ron gave him a look. “Beat him up once for me too. He had his eyes on Hermione before switching to Harry.”

“When are you gonna jump Granger?” Tom rolled his eyes and shoved his hands into his pockets.

Flushing, Ron looked down. “She doesn't like me that way, Tom. You know that.”

“Er, no, I don’t know that. She’s besotted with you. It’s sickening to look at.” Tom raised an eyebrow at Ron.

“I…honestly, I don’t know what I’m feeling about her. I mean, she’s really pretty and really nice, well sometimes, but…” Ron slumped. “I’m an idiot, and she’s not.”

“You’re not an idiot. You have all the brains needed to ace anything. You just need the determination not to quit. You got a better grade in History than Harry did, and she had Death whispering in her ear a lot.”

“Yeah. Felt the temperature drop during class. Glad I brought a sweater.” Ron snorted and then looked at Hagrid’s hut. “But Hermione…well, she’s like you, though you’re a bit better.”

“Like me how?” Tom glanced at him.

“Both of you are whip-smart and impatient with anyone slower than you. I ask a question that she thinks is obvious and…I just feel like a moron around her. She’d never like me. I can’t even read or write.”

“Harry told me about your… _ quill _ being jinxed to misspell. Quick thinking by the way, but honestly, Hermione and Harry wouldn’t think less of you just because of what you have. Harry’s sweet as pie with Neville and his anxiety.” Tom didn’t sound jealous. He knew that Neville liked Hannah Abbott and Harry saw Nev as a little brother.

“Maybe.” Ron pushed that conversation away. “Anyways, we need to talk to Hagrid about Harry’s aquaphobia.” Tom blinked at his brother in surprise at Ron knowing that word.

“Did you…research this?” That was a better way of going about it rather than acting surprised. Ron silently appreciated it. 

“I asked Madam Pomfrey to explain the medical texts I found in the library. I can’t read English for the life of me, so Latin is completely hopeless.” Ron laughed self-deprecatingly. Tom nudged him with his shoulder.

“Oi, you’re not a moron!”

“Sorry. I know. I just…strategy, actions, they make sense to me. I play chess ‘cause I understand it. I don’t need to read about it. I don’t need to write about it.”

“I know…”

“Why does Hermione hate it so much?”

“Because she’s not good at it.”

“Right…” Ron knocked on the door firmly and then smiled at Hagrid. “Hey, um, we were wanting to talk to you about Harry.”

“What’s the matter?” Hagrid’s grin melted off his face as he led them into his hut. Tom grimaced at the mess. Ron nudged him warningly. He sighed in response and stood behind Ron’s seat. 

“Well, you remember Harry’s experience during the second task in the tournament?”

Hagrid grimaced. “Oh. Right…the mermaids…” The half-giant looked at them calmly. “I’ve already spoken to the chieftainess. They want to formally apologize to her, have for a long time. Harry’s afraid of being underwater, yeah?”

“Yes.” Tom swallowed. “Thanks to the child abuse she experienced at the hands of her uncle.”

Hagrid’s face darkened. Ron looked down. “Well, I’ll give her the chance to just study about mermaids in the library, but the mers can come above water and speak to her that way. Harry won’t have to put a single toe in the water. Thanks for reminding me about that. Glad you two thought of it.” Hagrid huffed and sat down sadly. “I could break those Muggles’ nasty necks, I could.”

With their mission done, Ron and Tom bid Hagrid goodbye until his next lesson with them. 

“Give Hermione my best, and tell her that I miss her.” Hagrid smiled sadly. Ron nodded.

“Will do!”

At that moment, Harry was grinning at a flushing Hermione. “I mean, you’re a prefect, aren’t you? Wasn’t that confundus charm a bit…dishonest? Kinda like cheating?”

“Oh, be quiet, Harry.” Hermione busied herself with her books. “It has nothing to do with your book. It’s completely different.”

“Yeah.” Harry straightened and noticed that others were listening in within the Common Room now. “My book is just ink on paper. You did something that affects others.” She moved to get lunch. Hermione raced after her.

“It’s not school approved.” Tom and Ron heard them as the girls entered the Great Hall. They groaned. It was the same old argument. “Harry, those spells are untested and unknown! And if the school hasn’t thought about those changes, or done them, then you shouldn’t be following those instructions! There’s got to be some reason that-”

“WILL YOU SHUT UP, HERMIONE?!”

Everyone in the hall froze and watched Harry in shock. Hermione had her hands over her mouth. Harry was seething.

“Not everything is about bloody grades! And adults aren’t always being truthful, or caring! YOU SHOULDN’T TRUST EVERY FUCKING THING AN ADULT SAYS!” Swallowing, Harry crossed her arms angrily. “Just because a teacher tells you to do something or makes you promise something, or teaches you something, does not mean you must obey them, or believe them! Teachers and school approved textbooks are not the be-all and end-all of our existence! There is such a thing as innovation! Improvement! Progress! Or are you going to happily be a little stooge for the rest of your academic career? You’re a brilliant witch, Hermione Granger, and yet you could be so much more! YOU ARE HOLDING YOURSELF BACK JUST TO FOLLOW SOMETHING AS STUPID AS TRADITION AND RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS! You could be more than a set of instructions. Think outside the box! What are you so bleeding afraid of? Failure?! Everyone fails, Hermione! It’s about time you failed at something too! IF NOTHING MORE THAN TO JUST GET A LITTLE FUCKING HUMILITY IN THAT THICK AND OBSTINATE SKULL OF YOURS!” 

With that, Harry grabbed some food and stormed out of the Great Hall, too agitated and sick to be in the public eye anymore. 

Severus’ voice echoed through the silence of the Great Hall, “Ten points to Gryffindor. Potter explained my opinion excellently.”

Bursting into tears, Hermione fled. 

Albus exhaled. “Brilliantly handled, Severus.”


	9. The First Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Tom never seem to make it a full year without something dangerous happening (aka Pansy makes her first move).

Slughorn looked over at Severus. “By the way, Severus, I was wondering if you would allow Miss Potter to have that night off, the one you have her on detention for.”

Pausing in his slicing his meat, Severus turned and looked at the portly man intently. “Why?”

“Well, because I was going to hold a little gathering, and I wanted her to be able to make it.”

“If it’s that much of an importance, then reschedule. Potter’s detention will not be changed.” Severus went back to eating. Slughorn looked…quite surprised at being shut down so quickly. 

Albus hid a smirk.

~a few days later~

Ron was now being the awkward man in the middle of a silent feud. Harry refused to take back her harsh words, and Hermione didn’t want to acknowledge that what Harry said was true. 

So, silence. 

It actually got so bad that Ron didn’t sit near them anymore, opting to sit with his roommates for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.

Harry was wondering when Albus would have time for another walk down memory lane, but until then, she did detention, her homework, and read Snape’s textbook. 

When she went to detention with Snape, she pointed to one spell. “What’s that?”

“Levicorpus is a levitating spell, but it places one upside down, hanging by his or her ankle.” Severus sneered. “It was quite…popular when I was a student. You should speak to your father for more insight into its uses.”

“Er, right…I remember seeing it in action via your soul memories while training you. Sorry about that, on my father’s behalf.”

Severus sneered and then set the flobberworms onto the table. “Sort.”

“Oh come on! I didn’t give you half this bad of punishments.”

Turning, Severus gave her a look. “Half…this…bad? You threw Aberforth into the Underworld for cheating in his language practice. You set  _ the hounds of hell  _ on me during my final testing in Animation!”

Harry gave him a sweet smile. “And look how tough you are now!”

“Sort. Those. Worms.”

Huffing, she did as told.

It was about a week after Harry’s blow up, that Ron and Tom locked her and Hermione in a classroom and refused to let them out until they either killed each other, or made up.

“Harry, you have to understand, I just don’t want you to-”

“Beat you out of the top spot in potions.” Her voice was cold. “You’re never happy for anyone else, Hermione, not when it comes to grades. Are you my friend, or are you a mindless follower of rules?”

“Harry! That’s not fair! I just don’t want you to perform spells that aren’t Ministry of Magic approved!”

“Umbridge was Ministry of Magic approved. Should we toddle after her and listen to her every word as she crucios me?” Hermione flinched away. Harry grunted and sat down in a chair and stared at her…friend. “Hermione, this book belongs to Severus Snape. I thought you would recognize his handwriting, but you didn’t. I spoke to Severus about it, and he gave me permission to use it. I’ve learned so much more from it. Severus Snape is a brilliant man who thought outside the box. He can’t teach worth shit, but he’s creative, and innovative. Do you even know the first step of making a new spell?”

Hermione looked stricken. “Why didn’t you-”

“Trust me?” Harry looked at her tiredly. “Why don’t you ever trust me? When have I  _ ever _ led you astray? How many times have your precious teachers turned out horribly wrong? I’m your  _ friend _ , Hermione. Instead of lecturing, you should listen. Instead of constant correction, perhaps you should learn from your peers?” Harry saw Death giving her a look from behind Hermione, over her shoulder. Harry exhaled slowly and then nodded. “I shouldn’t have reacted so violently. I’m sorry for my words. They were truthful but hurtful. I should have told you earlier instead of keeping it in and blowing up at you.”

Hermione looked at her with wide eyes. “Oh!” Harry caught her when she threw herself into Harry’s arms for a hug. “I’m s-sorry. I’m really sorry. I forgive you too!” Harry smiled at her and then pulled her into another hug.

They opened the spelled door together and walked out of the room and joined the others in lunch.

As the days progressed, Harry continued to evade Slughorn’s parties, wondering if she should just take a seedling of his courage and make it bloom that way and just escape all his parties forever. Ron was looking increasingly put out about being ignored. Hermione was envious of Harry dodging the parties.

When they finally made it to Hogsmeade, Harry was with her odd mishmash of Slytherins and Gryffindors. Tom spoke up in another attempt to change the mood that Ron was giving off. “Let’s go to the Three Broomsticks.” He grinned and wrapped his arm around Harry’s waist. She shot him a look, but didn’t fight. She had been much more relaxed about his flirting, but still unresponsive. 

Everyone knew she was still grieving for her boyfriend, Antonin Dolohov. Rumor had slipped out that she had been planning on marrying him after graduating from Hogwarts. They had been that serious. 

Suddenly, Harry froze when she saw Mundungus Fletcher. Her eyes narrowed and she was off. “YOU FUCKING THIEF!” Shooting him with a full-body bind, Harry grabbed a cup from his case and studied it. “This is the symbol of the House of Black! You would DARE rob us?!”

Everyone flinched at the cold rage in Harry’s voice. 

Daphne had run off to get an enforcement officer. Mundungus was grabbed and dragged away, still touting his innocence and ignorance of the origins of the items were.

“Dobby!” Her Elf cracked into existence. 

“Mistress called for Dobby?!”

“Yes. Get these things to Sirius and tell him that Mundungus Fletcher is never to be allowed into another Black house again.”

“Yes Mistress!” Dobby vanished with the treasures.

Harry breathed out and then smiled at the stunned group. “Well, that was nice. Fletcher is in jail, and won’t be blighting my houses. Who’s up for a drink?”

Blaise snorted and then looked at Draco. “Dobby seems much happier away from your father.”

“Father hated that Elf. I’m afraid I wasn’t too nice to him either.” Draco ignored Hermione’s angry look as he held the door open for a blushing Astoria. Daphne shot him a shrewd look before she followed her sister inside.

Tom cut in before Hermione to begin one of her SPEWs. “Here we are. Draco, Theo, get some tables together. Ron can you help them? I’m going to get some drinks.” He conjured parchment and a quill and wrote out their orders and then was off. Harry grinned and followed.

“You footing the bill?”

“Actually, I’m thinking of buying this fine establishment. With Draco going to become governor and a university to be built…Hogsmeade will boom. I could buy it at a much cheaper price, keeping Rosmerta on of course as beautiful management, and rake in more coin.”

“You don’t  _ need _ more coin.”

“True, but look at everyone here.” Tom smiled at her. Harry glanced around. “All these students are related to so many people. Land is power, and I do like power. The war won’t last forever, and I want to be comfortably at the top when it’s over.” He winked at her.

“How ambitious of you.” Harry grabbed and levitated three trays while Tom did the same to the other three.

“There’s room for you, you know.”

“You know my opinions on this, Tom. I won’t join you in the spotlight, but if you think you can become Minister in the next decade, then I won’t stop you. I’ll actually help you, because you can pay me back by allowing Necromancy.”

“It is dangerous…you would have to be in charge of regulating it so not everyone has Soul Magic and Energy Manipulation.”

“True.” Harry broke into a smile and sorted out the drinks with her friends.

Ron suddenly choked when he saw his sister at another table with Corner.  _ Again _ . “And he said he couldn’t make it! I thought she broke up with him!” Dean scowled and looked away.

Grabbing his brother, Tom sat down. “You’ll only get a Bat Bogey Hex if you make a scene now, Ron. Sit down. We’ll get him later.”

Growling, Ron did as told and sat back down.

Draco snorted. “Glad I’ve no siblings.”

Looking fondly at her sister, Daphne hummed. “It’s actually not that bad…” She looked down at the table and smiled wider. Tom had made good on his deal with her. The Greengrasses were settled nicely with funds from Tom, and status with close friendship with Harriet Potter. Daphne and her sister had  _ fought by Potter’s side _ . That made it into the papers. They were rather popular now in the worthwhile circles. Tom caught her gaze and winked. Yes, her leader always kept his promises and deals. Daphne smiled back. 

They were just about to head back after a good day’s worth of shopping when Katie Bell raced up to Harry. Her eyes were glazed over, like she was deep in thought.

“Harry! This package is for you.”

Smiling, Harry took it from her. “Thanks, Kat.” Leanne was rushing up, looking pinched and worried. Opening the string and paper, Harry moved to unsnap the case and look inside. 

“Harry- wait!” Leanne held out her hand.

“HARRY NO!” Death appeared and smacked the now opened case. The necklace flew through the air and grazed against Katie Bell’s cheek.

And then Katie rose into the air, almost gracefully, her arms outstretched, as though she was about to fly. It was wrong. There was something very wrong. Harry inhaled sharply. It was eerie. Her hair was whipped around her face by the sudden fierce wind, but her eyes were closed and her face…her face was empty of all emotion. 

Then the girl let out a terrible, pain filled scream. She kept on screaming with her eyes now open and then…

Then she dropped and didn’t move. 

The teachers were rushing forward, but the moment Hagrid tried to grab her, she started convulsing and screaming again.

She was rushed to St. Mungo’s, and Professor McGonagall turned and looked at the eyewitnesses. Leanne’s voice was faint.

“She wanted to give it to Harry.”

Everyone turned and looked at the still girl. Harry blinked once as if waking up, and then she remembered to smile. Her eyes looked up at McGonagall with a glow of haunting green.

“How interesting…looks like someone wants to kill me again this year.” She laughed softly and continued walking back to the school.

Tom was at her side, cursing. “You can’t get caught coming back.” His gaze was intense, and his voice low.

Not bothering to keep her voice quiet, Harry looked at him with sparkling eyes. “Tom, you always find something to worry about.” Harry laughed. “You do it so well, I’m afraid you’ve started doing it for me.”

Cursing softly, Draco looked at Ron. “Hatter Harry is back.”

Grimly, Ron nodded, looking back at the necklace Professor Snape was levitating back to the school. 

McGonagall pulled the entire group of Gryffindors and Slytherins into her office. Snape was with her. 

Harry smiled at them both. Professor McGonagall sighed and looked at Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Tom. “Why is it, that at any sign of trouble, I always see the four of you? Hmm?”

Barking a laugh, Ron rubbed the back of his neck. Tom grimaced. “Believe me, Professor, I’ve been asking the same question for six years now.” 

Rolling her eyes, Hermione sighed. “Professors, we know Katie Bell. She wouldn’t do this! She must have been cursed!”

“I can vouch for her character. She wouldn’t hurt a fly.” Harry pulled a face. “Off the Quidditch Pitch at least.” Draco snorted in the background. He could agree with that sentiment.

“We know she was cursed, Miss Potter.” Snape gazed at them dispassionately. “The question remains…” He studied them all with sharpening eyes. “Who…cursed her…”

McGonagall exhaled explosively. “This is yet another year where someone wants to kill Miss Potter. I have never met anyone else who has more enemies than you!”

Lifting her hands up into a shrug, Harry gave a weak and slightly sheepish smile. “Oops?”

Tom rolled his eyes and muttered curses. Ron and Draco looked like they were agreeing mentally with him.


	10. Death Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry forgot that many still see Necromancy as a lost art, forbidden and mysterious.   
> To her, it is anything but.

“Very well, you all may go. Miss Potter, we aren’t sure when Miss Bell will wake up.”  _ Or if she will… _ Everyone grimaced at the unspoken part of McGonagall's sentence. “So I advise you to find another chaser.”

Harry closed her eyes and then nodded. “Right.”

“Or you could just give up and roll over, Potter,” Draco smirked. “There’s no way you’re going to beat Slytherin this year. I’ve swapped to Chaser and Astoria is the fastest Seeker I’ve ever seen.”

Switching her gaze to the blushing young lady, Harry smirked. “And you’ve also managed to persuade Blaise to become another chaser…”

Draco smirked. “There’s no way you’re gonna beat us out. Theo’s captain now too.”

“Congratulations, Theo.” Harry looked at the smirking boy. “I’m sorry though. You have my condolences.”

The Slytherins frowned. Snape and McGonagall paused in their private conversation. 

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Captain of the Slytherin team…I’m sorry you won’t be able to win the cup this year.” She batted her lashes at them and then flounced away with Ron and Hermione. 

Tom snorted at the looks on the quidditch players’ faces. “As Professor Snape once said, no one beats Miss Potter.”

“We will.” Theo grinned darkly. “We’ll get our names on that cup.”

McGonagall sniffed. “Not likely. Out of my office now. I have things to do.”

Snape gave her a look and then escorted his Slytherins out. 

The attack was the only thing that everyone could seem to talk about. Harry disliked being whispered about, but at least she was used to it by now. Heaving a sigh, she continued going to her classes.

Sirius and Remus had heard about the attack, and Sirius immediately accused Pansy of it. Albus couldn’t help but hear him out. It had happened outside of Hogwarts and she could have cursed Katie in the bathroom where she got the necklace that had come from Borgins and Burkes. Upon that conclusion, Harry was banned from leaving Hogwarts, which irritated her to no end. 

It was the day after the attack, and Harry was staring out the window at the snow. She sighed and looked at her professor for Ancient Studies. Professor William Vaughan. There were only seven students in the class. She was without her friends, and it sort of felt nice. A break from it all.

“Professor, I was reading a book in the library,” Rosie Cotton was speaking up. 

“That is an admirable thing to do in a library, Miss Cotton.” Professor Vaughan was quite loved by all the students who knew him. He was a sort of out of the way professor. He didn’t steal the limelight as others like Snape or Dumbledore or Hagrid did. He slipped in and did was he needed to do and then left. Harry doubted if Vaughan had even been noticed by Umbridge. 

Blushing, Miss Cotton nodded. “Yes, sir. But um, I read in that book about ancient civilizations and I noticed a brief reference to a cult of magic that isn’t taught anymore. In fact, all I could find was a bunch of laws by the Ministry that bans it.”

“Ah, you are speaking about Necromancy?” Harry snapped back into focus on the conversation. Rosie nodded. 

“Yes, sir. What is it?”

Professor Vaughan chuckled tiredly. “That is a difficult question to answer. Necromancy, according to the dictionary, is a magical form that allows a living person to communicate with the dead. Some say that it is a type of magic that would allow a person to peer into the future by asking questions from the dead who have gone to the ‘beyond’. However, many agree that Necromancy is much more than that.” He pulled down a world map from above the blackboard. “The idea of  _ Necromancy _ originated in Assyria, however, we have no proof that other civilizations did not practice something similar under different titles.” He magically enlarged the area on the map that he was speaking about. 

“Ancient civilizations, namely Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Etruscans were rather well known for practicing it. The Egyptians especially were fascinated with the afterlife and communication with it. However, the Greeks were frightened, and many would not even say the name Hades for fear of attracting the attention of the deity and thusly be struck dead. No matter what nation, era, or civilization you come across, there will always be a sort of culture concerning the dead.” He looked at his small class and smiled sadly. “In the Dark Ages, there was formed a rather large cult of Necromancers within the Magical World. They expanded on the teachings of both Merlin and Morgana, two practitioners of this Dark Art.” He chuckled at their looks of surprise.

“Indeed, Merlin also was a learner of Necromancy, not that the Ministry would tell you this. In fact, almost all discussion of Necromancy is strictly prohibited.” He spread his hands apart slightly. “But that is mostly superstition on their part.”

“Sir…” Harry looked at the speaker. James Little, Ravenclaw. “Why was it banned so harshly?”

“That is a rather long story, but I suppose I shall tell you.” He settled at his podium and sighed. “It gained notoriety with Morgana. Before that, only one or two worthwhile Necromancers popped up every generation, and they mostly stayed to themselves. They didn’t advertise their teachings or their styles in magic. Many thought these Necromancers simply used body parts as talismans and raised the dead to have chats. None truly realized the full potential of the art of Necromancy. As for Morgana… no one knows where she learned  _ all _ the secrets and skills that she did- for she knew far more than most Necromancers knew at that time. A few scholars whisper that it could have been Death himself to have taught her, explaining why she was so knowledgeable and powerful. But that’s a theory for another day.”

He shook his head. “Morgana brought attention to the art and cult by using her powers to try and take control of King Arthur’s throne. You all know the stories about that. She raised her son, their son actually, and tried to dethrone Arthur. The founders of this very school fought by their king’s side and won England back, but…the stories around Morgana’s death vary wildly. The founders themselves and Merlin never spoke of how she passed. King Arthur himself never knew. Eventually, the people made up their own stories and that was that.” He pulled off his spectacles and cleaned them. 

“After Morgana brought attention to the art, more and more magic users were interested. They found her teachings, the research books she had hidden away, and a single school popped up, The Academy it was called. The Four Founders and Merlin struggled against this school, doing everything they could to prevent students from going. Hogwarts was formed as a means of taking away some of the student population from The Academy. However, it was still going rather strong. Many Necromancers came to be.”

Professor Vaughan grimaced. “This is where honest researchers and researchers bought by the Ministry differ. The Ministry claims that the Necromancers went mad. They say that the art itself drives the casters insane, and they become like Morgana, deranged and dangerous. That is a lie.”

The class stirred. Harry stared at him in rapt attention. Vaughan chuckled. “If Headmaster Dumbledore, a man known for being open minded, were not in charge of this school, I would be fired for what I am about to say.” That caught everyone’s attention. He continued. “An entire subculture of magic users, an entire secret community that spanned several countries, was forming under  _ all  _ the Ministries. They were powerful. Extremely so. They knew all the tricks of Morgana. However, these people were careful of who they shared these secrets with. They were reclusive and isolated, watching outsiders with suspicion, wary about who to trust with their knowledge. Knowledge that could easily wipe out the world. Because of their secrecy and isolation, rumors and whispers spread about  _ them _ and against  _ them _ , making it easy for the Ministries to turn the people against them. These Necromancers were not murderers. They were not mad, driven insane by these alleged Dark Arts to the Fourth Level. They were men and women and children practicing something that is no different in danger level than that of Potions or Transfigurations or Alchemy.”

Harry swallowed and raised her own hand. “Sir, if these people were so powerful, then how were they defeated?” She wanted to know what he knew, couldn’t risk searching his soul. Just in case he was…  _ Could he be a Necromancer?! _

“Soul Catchers.” Vaughan slumped. “Hundreds of innocents were snatched up and caught in truly dark relics called soul catchers. These catchers were able to suck a person’s soul out of their body and then, upon being caught inside, the catcher could be destroyed and the soul would be…obliterated. Not going to the Underworld. Not collected by Death. They would cease to exist.” He had tears in his eyes. “Children…pregnant women…elderly…”

Rosie jumped up, eyes wide. “How could this be allowed?!”

“Rumors.” Harry spoke up, answering for the professor. She stared at the stricken girl with old eyes. “People will believe anything if the Ministry tells it. I’m mad. I’m Slytherin’s Heir. I’m the Chosen One…” None of the students would look at her. Harry sneered and then turned back to the front and faced the teacher. He was studying her with sadness in his eyes. 

“Just as Miss Potter says. Rumors. The Necromancers isolated themselves and gave their biggest weapon over to the Ministries, people’s opinion. The Ministries had many ways of hunting down the followers of Death Magic, and they used them all, including convincing the Catholic Muggle Church to hunt among the Muggles for ‘witches’ and ‘dark magicks’. By the time the Renaissance came, the only Necromancers left were scattered across Europe and Asia. All the texts and writings were burned. Salt on the ground…everything to be known about Necromancers now takes years. It took decades for me to learn what I’m telling you all now, and even that is just a basic history.” Vaughan sighed. “I cannot, truly, tell you what their practices were, but I wish I could know. Not to practice, but just to learn…” He chuckled sadly. “Two years ago, Peeves was shouting about Death coming to Hogwarts, and the ghosts were whispering about the Apprentice of Death…and for a moment, I allowed myself to believe that just maybe Necromancy wasn’t dead. That it wasn’t just another dead art to be studied in dusty books.” He shrugged. “But that is no matter. Now, put that aside, and open your books to page one hundred and fifteen.”

The class sighed and then the room was filled with rustling pages. 

Taking the chance, Harry read his soul and realized that the man had a timestamp of next year. He was dying. Her eyes narrowed in thought. When the class ended, Harry stayed behind. This was her last class, and she could be late for study hall. 

“Miss Potter?” He blinked at her. Harry smiled at him, and then held out her hand and extended her shadows and closed the class door. Using her shadows, she wrapped them around her body and stood up. 

“Professor, I am the Apprentice of Death.”

He had to sit down. 

William Vaughan’s eyes were wide. “You…you…are...”

Harry laughed and then conjured a shadow hammock and sat down on it. “It’s a long story, but I was found and trained by Death since the age of three.”

“Thirteen years…and the Ministry’s own Golden Girl…” He laughed softly and then looked at her. “What is Necromancy?”

“There are four areas to it. Shadow Manipulation, Animation, Energy Manipulation, and Soul Magic, along with the practice of the Language of Death.” She shrugged. “Sometimes it’s called the Language of the Dead, but it’s the same thing, essentially.”

He moved to write this down and then paused. “I can’t publish this…”

“No…but you can learn it, not to practice, but to know.” She smiled and then conjured her dictionary. “This is the Language of Death. Read through it.”

“Why are you telling me this?” He stared at her and then sighed. “I’m going to die.”

Her smile became strained. “We make it a practice not to tell a person when they are specifically going to die, but everyone dies.”

Vaughan burst out laughing. “I know I am going to die. Blood curse…it struck my great-great-great grandfather. Of blood curses, it’s not all that bad. At least I lived to the age of fifty…”

She dropped her shadows and looked at him. “I am telling you because I like you. Because I trust you.” Harry pulled a face. “And yeah, because you’re gonna die too.” He snorted and then started looking through the book. 

“This is amazing…”

Harry smiled and then sat on his desk and started explaining the details of Necromancy and why the Ministry truly hated all those who practiced Death Magic. 

When she was done, Vaughan was amazed. “So it is because of Soul Magic and Energy Manipulation…”

“And Shadow Traveling. There are no wards that can stop me from going anywhere.” She exhaled. “According to Death, the thing that caused the Necromancers most damage was being taken by surprise with the suddenness of the attack and the organization. They had never trained their students to be duelers. They only wished to heal. You see, Energy Manipulation can bring a person on the verge of death to full life. A wounded body  _ wants _ to heal, it only lacks the energy to do so. Give it the energy, and the body will come back from anything. Necromancers didn’t think about Energy Manipulation as destructive.” She rolled her eyes. “Okay, yes, there were some Necromancers who got a little power hungry, but their fellows took care of them before anyone could die or damage could be caused. Death said so.”

“Fascinating!”

They continued talking until dinner.

The next day was Saturday and Harry went to see Albus for another memory trip. This time it had better be in his soul.

Harry grunted and then poured herself some of Albus’ private wine. Her body was so completely different now, that she had to drink copious amounts to get drunk. “Did you hear about someone trying to do me in while I was flying two days ago?” She had barely ducked the Killing Curse in time.

“Yes. Minerva told me.” Albus frowned. “And as I said before, you should stay inside.”

“And leave my team to rot? No thank you. Draco Malfoy is becoming too much of a nuisance. I have to beat him down to give him some humility back.” She made a face. “Not that he had much anyways.” She sipped some of his wine and made an appreciative noise. “That’s good.” Sitting down, she grinned at a startled looking Albus and then gestured to the Pensieve. “Are we using the torture device?”

“Not this time.” He smirked at her, and then sat across from her. “Shall we begin?”


	11. Trip Down Memory Lane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry enters Albus soul, and her friends have some misgivings.

“Sure.” She finished her wine and then slipped into his soul, physical body sagging against the chair she was in. Albus grunted at the sensation of Harry’s magic sliding along his own and then allowed her in and sagged also when she pulled his conscience inwards. 

Harry looked around at the massive building. “Oi, are we in Hogwarts? This is the mental construction of your mind?”

“Indeed. I call it my memory archives, but Aberforth calls his own his Mind Palace of all things.” 

Harry snorted. “He would call it that.” She noticed a set of double doors made of iron, bones, and jade and blinked at the beauty of it. Feeling a strange urge to touch the doors, she lifted her hand, but Albus caught her wrist.

“That leads to my recent memories of learning Necromancy. Nothing you haven’t already seen.” He smiled at her tensely.

“The doors are beautiful.” Harry smiled at the jade and black wrought iron. “So savage and yet elegant.”

He studied her and then smiled slightly and nodded. “They are indeed.” Looking forward again, Albus released her wrist and led her down the stairs. They moved towards the dungeons. Harry did not comment on the dungeons being the location of all his memories of Gellert Grindelwald.

He paused at one door and then took a breath, not quite looking at her. “Forgive the indecency. It was just after our first time…together.”

_ Albus exhaled slowly, wishing he had a smoke. Gellert hummed and then kissed his lover’s waist and curled against him.  _

_ “What are you thinking?” _

_ “That I’ve just broken the law.” _

_ “Pish posh, same sex isn’t banned in Magical Communities. It’s just spoken against.” _

_ “You’re fifteen, Gellert. I’m an adult. Turned seventeen just last month in fact. I’m a pedophile now.” Albus brushed off the younger boy’s wandering hand. _

_ Gellert snorted. “Two years difference. You may as well be a child yourself.” _

_ “Not in the eyes of the law-” Gellert cut him off with a kiss. _

_ “The only eyes that matter are mine, and the only opinions that matter are mine.” Gellert pulled Albus into another kiss, hand slipping downwards. Albus hissed into the kiss. _

_ “Gellert!” _

_ “Yes…Albus, that is the only name you need to know, need to say.” The younger man smiled and withdrew his hand. “Remember that. Never regret coupling with me.” His eyes flashed dangerously. “Never regret me.”  _

_ Pushing his hands away, again, Albus heaved a sigh. “It’s not that I regret you, Gellert-” _

_ “Again.” _

_ “What?” _

_ “Say my name again.” _

_ “Gellert.” _

_ “Again.” _

_ “Gellert…” Albus frowned at the boy. “Are you alright?” _

_ He laughed and then kissed him again. “Quite alright. I finally fucked you. After trying to seduce you for a month!” _

_ “Such language!” _

_ “What? It’s the truth.” He smirked at the flushed older boy. “And you enjoyed it. All of the school would have known who you belonged to if I hadn’t silenced the room.” _

_ Albus flushed more. “Such talk…honestly Gellert, must you be so crude?” _

_ “Have you ever been with someone else?” _

_ The look Albus gave Gellert was as dry as the Sahara. “Now you ask?” _

_ Blushing slightly, Gellert waved his hand dismissively. “If it had been a problem, then I fully believe you would have mentioned something.” He gave Albus a grin. _

_ Huffing, Albus shrugged. “I have been with a few girls, and two prostitutes…it was an experience.” Albus snorted and wanted a smoke worse than before.  _

_ “You’re bisexual or were you simply using those women to experiment?” Gellert smirked at him. _

_ Albus faltered and then swallowed before speaking slowly. “I do appreciate the beauties of both genders. After I have been with you, I have found that both forms of physical couplings are amenable.” _

_ Rolling his eyes, Gellert fell back onto the crumpled bed with a ‘omph’. “Such talk.” His smile eased the mockery in his voice as he glanced down his body at Albus, who was sitting at the end of the bed. _

_ Albus flushed. “To answer, yes. I am attracted to both genders.” _

_ “Why?” _

_ “Why what?” Albus gave him a sharp look. “Why am I attract to-” _

_ “No!” Gellert laughed and waved his hand. “Sorry. Mind jumps everywhere. Why did you say that the prostitutes were an experience?” His eyes gleamed when Albus fidgeted. _

_ “Must we converse about this? This subject is…unamusing.” _

_ “It’s rather amusing to me.” Gellert grinned, muscles rippling as he sat up without the help of his arms, and leaned his chin on his propped up fist, elbow on his knee, displaying himself…blatantly. Albus flushed and turned away. _

_ Sighing tiredly, Albus stood up and grabbed some water, ignoring his nudity for once. “I enjoyed it, but I say it was interesting because the two prostitutes came into the room…as a set.” Gellert hooted. _

_ “And?” _

_ “It was quite the learning experience.” Albus’ smile was crooked. _

_ “I’ve been in a threesome before.” Gellert smiled at the memory. “An older boy and a girl. I rather liked it. I’ve been in another one where it was just boys. That wasn’t as enjoyable. Too many cocks and testosterone spoil the sex. For me at least.” Gellert raised an eyebrow at Albus, when the older boy scoffed. _

_ “You just want people to worship you.” _

_ Gellert snorted. “Not quite, but close. Not worship. Just…” He pulled Albus back onto the bed and kissed him. “Notice me…” _

_ “Let me up.” _

_ “Never.” _

_ “Gellert, we need to bathe.” _

_ “No.” _

Albus pulled Harry out of the room and slammed the door quickly. Harry blinked. “What?”

He swallowed. “We don’t talk much after that.”

“Aww…I wanted-”

“Do not finish that sentence please.” Looking slightly strangled, Albus swiftly escorted her out of his soul.

They straightened as they woke up. Harry took a moment to shove the memory of Albus as seventeen in the nude (he was bloody well endowed!) to the back of her head before speaking up. “Affirmation.” 

“What?” Albus snapped his focus back on her.

Harry turned and looked at Albus. “He needs to be affirmed, needed, wanted, noticed. He…” She frowned suddenly. “He’s like Tom…” Her voice was filled with subdued surprise.

“I didn’t catch that, but you are correct in that. Why I showed this memory to you was that you would know something about  _ me _ .” Albus huffed. “So he wouldn’t throw you off in future conversations. He was not my first.” Albus rolled his eyes and poured himself some brandy, pouring her some too. “He liked to say that later on, but it’s a lie. He was my first  _ male  _ lover, but I was familiar with the concept of sex.”

“Quite well. Bisexual and in a threesome. Two prostitutes at the same time. Does Ab know this?” Her grin was teasing. 

Hiding behind his brandy glass, Albus coughed. “I found out later that he was in the next room.”

Staring at him in utter shock, Harry broke out into raucous laughter.

Finishing his glass, Albus waited impatiently for her to ease up on taking enjoyment from his emotional suffering. “It was actually then that he realized he was asexual. He’s never had sex again. Fifteen once and then nothing.”

“Fifteen?” Harry frowned in shock. 

“It was a Muggle brothel. Ab and I both put glamour on our faces.” Albus scowled. “He stole my notes and taught himself the spells that I created. The brat.”

“You created glamour?” Harry’s eyes were wide, as was her smile.

“Yes, I taught the Ministry it, and they still use it for their Aurors. Anyways, it’s quite late.” He took her empty glass from her and cleaned them before placing them manually into his cabinet.

“Yep.” Harry hopped up and paused when Albus cleared his throat. “Yeah?”

He looked supremely uncomfortable. “This is quite presumptuous and a bit rude of me. But…” He swallowed. “Please don’t…use my memories as a way to…”

She smirked. “As sexy as you are at seventeen, I will respect your memories and not use them to get off.” Her laugh informed him that she was not at all offended. 

Blinking at her in surprise and quite a bit of relief, Albus forced a smile and chuckled awkwardly. “Thank you.”

~the next day~

“So wait…” Ron blinked at her. “You’re seeing the Headmaster’s…memories about his  _ trysts _ ?”

“He chooses ones that aren’t showing the action, Ron.” Harry rolled her eyes while Hermione glanced around worriedly for Tom. 

“But you’ve seen the headmaster as a seventeen year old and naked?”

“Erm…” Harry gave him a weak smile.

“Blimey. Talk about awkward.” Ron drank some of his pumpkin juice. “Tom doesn’t know?” 

Harry huffed out a breath and shook her head. “Doesn’t matter about that. What matters is that-”

“Can I borrow the Prince book?” Hermione’s voice was very soft. They were sitting at the library. Hermione looked close to tears. “I can’t understand this potion…”

Silently, Harry slid the book over the table towards her friend. Hermione swallowed and started reading and cross referencing with that book. She made soft noises like ‘oh!’, ‘ah’, and ‘ho?’. Ron’s face showed that he thought Hermione’s study noises were adorable.

Leaning back in her chair, Harry quickly realized she had lost her audience. Huffing, she looked on instead and just watched the sexual tension between her friends. So engrossed was she that she didn’t notice Tom was near her until he massaged her shoulders. Yelping, Harry reflexively shadow traveled across the room. Tom was gaping at her, hands still in position to massage. Ron was trying valiantly to smother his laughter so Pince wouldn’t kick them out. Hermione hadn’t noticed a thing.

Sheepishly, Harry slunk back to her table and glanced around to make sure no one had seen. No one had. People were alarmingly oblivious to the most obvious things around them. Not that Harry was complaining. 

Sitting next to her, Tom tentatively poked her shoulder and then watched, obviously waiting to see if she would vanish. She pouted at him and then stuck her tongue out. He snorted and then pulled out his homework. Ron swallowed and then looked at Tom.

“Um…could you…edit my paper?”

“Sure.” Tom smiled and pulled the scroll across to him and began reading. Harry cleared her throat and began speaking again, completely pretending that she had not just acted like a spooked cat. 

“Dumbledore knows it’s important for me to know as much about Grindelwald as I can so I won’t be tripped up by the man’s silver words. You know? He might try and spin me against Dumbledore, so by showing me unbiased memories, I can form my own opinions and talk things out with Al- with Dumbledore.” Harry looked at Tom, but he hadn’t noticed her slip. Ron had. He frowned at her. She shook her head minutely. 

Draco prowled over to their table and smirked. “Quidditch tomorrow, Weasley, will you still be our king?”

“Oh shut up, you Pureblooded Ponce!”

Tom blinked at Ron and then sniffed. “Shush while I’m editing your essay, Ron.”

Ron shut up and just contented himself to glower at the smirking Draco Malfoy. “When will you leave school?”

“At the end of this year. I want to finish this year and then I’ll leave and you all can vote my glorious self in as a school governor.” He smirked and lounged on his seat.

“Sixteen years old. Will they even let you?” Hermione looked up in worry. Draco shrugged slowly.

“With Dumbledore backing me, I doubt we’ll have much fight. And with two whole houses backing me…plus whoever votes for me in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, there won’t be much problem. The parents will have to vote me in, but the students will convince them, I should think. My age isn’t really a problem. The only rule about governors is that they can’t have a criminal record and they can’t be current students.”

Ron hummed. “And the very fact that they thought to include students in the criteria means that the age isn’t a problem.” Draco blinked slowly at Ron and then broke into a slow grin.

“Merlin and Morgana, Weasel! You have got a brain after all!”

“Sh-shut up, Ferret!!”

“What?! I don’t look like a ferret!”

“Shh!” Hermione looked at them sharply and then glanced around for Pince. Tom looked equally worried. Nothing happened, and they slowly went back to studying. Harry transfigured a sheet of paper into a paper snitch with wings and watched it fly around the library. She winced when it smacked Ernie right in the face. 

Mouthing, ‘I’m sorry!’ to him, she sunk into her seat. He just grinned and went back to his work, setting the paper snitch free after repairing it. 

When the day of Quidditch came, Ron was…a wreck. Harry closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose. At this rate, he wouldn’t block anything. 

“Time for something truly desperate.” Death was sitting on an empty spot at the table and staring at the ceiling with utter boredom.

_ ‘Hiding from another meeting?’ _

“Not quite. Winter Solstice is nearly here and…they want to have a party.” Death grimaced slightly. “Not my cup of tea.”

_ ‘I’m flattered. You choose me over the party of the gods.’ _ She grinned and then sighed softly into her scrambled eggs.  _ ‘You’re right though. Desperate times.’ _ She pulled out her ever present bottle of Felix Felicis. Ron’s training hadn’t improved, and his mood hadn’t improved and…

Yeah, it was time for desperate measures. 

Harry braved a smile at Ron and reached for his cup.


	12. How Does It Feel?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albus is the only one Harry can turn to in her time of desperation. (not as dramatic as all that, but honestly she wants a break from everything)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My first picture insert *nervously bits off fingernails  
> Hopefully, this'll go well.  
> Ink...
> 
> Scratch that. It didn't go well. Does anyone know how to work this AO3 picture upload thingie?! I want to show you guys her dress!   
> *wails not so quietly  
> Ink...

Harry rolled her eyes at Hermione. “Hark who’s talking, confund anyone lately?”

Hermione huffed and stormed off. Harry was smirking as she watched her friend go. That wasn’t an ‘angry’ huff. That was an ‘embarrassed’ huff. She definitely knew the difference by now.

A few hours later Ginny crashed into Zacharias Smith’s podium and popped back up with a grin on her face. “Lost control of my broom, Professor. Oops.”

Harry exhaled slowly. She had nearly gotten distracted by her captaining duties that she missed a chance at the snitch. Never again…

Draco, a chaser now, was eyeing her as the team swept off the pitch. Astoria was a really good opponent. Harry would keep an eye on her in the future.

When Harry moved off the pitch, shadowed to her room and changed, she stepped down the stairs and stopped abruptly at the sight of Ron snogging Lavender Brown. 

“Bloody hell…”

“Bloody hypocrite actually.” Ginny popped up and gave her a grim smile. “He looks like he’s eating her face off.”

“Yeah actually.” Harry chuckled weakly. 

“You ever kiss?”

“Only with…” Harry swallowed. “Yeah, a few times…we wanted to wait for anything else…to be safe…no charms are completely foolproof, you know…and it’s…better to not have _that_ to worry about on top of everything else.”

Ginny nodded. “Same.” Suddenly the youngest Weasley looked at her. “Why don’t you say the word? Say sex.”

Harry blushed and cleared her throat. “Sex. It’s just a word.” She gave her friend a fakely bright smile. Their conversation was thankfully (in Harry’s opinion) cut short by hopeful boyfriends and fine weather friends. 

By the time Harry escaped the common room, she slipped away and paused when she heard whispered conversation along with…tweeting birds?

“What does it feel like, Tom? When you look at Harry and she…she doesn’t look at you?”

Harry closed her eyes and bit her lip. Hermione had seen Ron then. Shit. She pulled her shadows over herself the moment she sensed Ron and Lavender approaching.

The newly made couple stumbled on Tom and Hermione, and the next thing Harry heard was, “Oppugno!” And then Ron shouting and running past her being chased by yellow birds.

“Nice spellwork.” That was Tom again.

Hermione started crying, slightly muffled. Harry closed her eyes. 

“Oh Hermione…it feels exactly like this…” 

With a sharp inhale of her own, Harry dropped her shadows and vanished to the Underworld. Her first captain’s victory shouldn’t be tainted like this!

At least her father’s Gryffindor chants cheered her up some. Harry spent the rest of the night with her parents, listening to his stories of past quidditch games, sharing grins with Death and her mum. Grell even popped by to grill her about Severus (James thought it was a hoot that the Reaper was in love with the man) and to Harry’s hair.

By the time the morning came around, Harry found herself once again in a match of wills. In a move to avoid Ron and Hermione, she opted to sit with the Slytherins, much to Tom’s delight. 

The days slipped past and nothing got better. When she was in the library with Hermione, Hermione nodded to the book in her hand. 

“Anything about countering love potions?”

“What?” Harry frowned at her in confusion. This was off the current topic by about a thousand kilometers or so.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione explained. “I’m only asking because several boys, Vane included, have bought love potions from Fred and George, which I’m afraid to say do in fact work well.”

“How do you know this?” Harry frowned at her in slight alarm.

“I overheard Vane talking to his friend during my prefect rounds last night-”

“Why didn’t you confiscate them?!”

“He didn’t have the potions with him, Harry. They were only discussing tactics on how to slip them to you.” 

Feeling slightly sick, Harry shuddered. “I won’t eat anything that doesn’t come from the Elves.”

“How well did that work for you during second year?” Hermione looked at her archly and then walked off.

Harry huffed and then sought out Snape. He frowned at her. “Counter potions to the love potion?”

“Yeah.”

“There is no such thing…there is however, a way to avoid it.” 

“Really?”

Snape looked down his nose at her. “Don’t eat chocolates and drinks from strangers. Have a good day, Harriet.”

“Fat lot of good you are.” She vanished with a scowl.

When she sat down on a random flight of stairs, Harry exhaled and stared at a painting of a young girl who was staring back at her. Harry really hated magical portraits. She could never be alone. Sighing again, she looked at her wand and then pulled out her other wand carefully and studied it. 

Shaking her head, Harry looked up at the ceiling that was so far above her it looked actually rather small. She paused and then smiled at a thought and raced down the steps to where she sensed Albus was. When she arrived, she grinned at the man and waved him to follow her. He did so with curiosity and amusement. 

“Harriet?”

“Can I ask people outside of the student body to be my date for Slughorn’s party?”

“Yes…”

“Excellent. I’m asking you.”

He blinked at her in surprise. Harry huffed. “I can’t ask Tom and raise his hopes up, and I can’t ask anyone else because then Tom will give them hell. I can’t ask Ron, because Lavender will scratch my eyes out, and I want an angst free year, thanks much. Sirius is mooning over Karina, and Moony is trying not to pine for Tonks.”

“Notice that have you?”

“How could I not?” Harry grimaced. “It’s painful. Almost as painful as Ron and Hermione.”

“Ah…” Albus winced. “I have taken to watching the Hufflepuffs while I have my meal. They are so…refreshingly-”

“Boring?”

He chuckled. “Angst free.”

“Will you come with me? No one knows your face.”

“Even without my glamour, I look twenty-seven.”

“Glamour it younger.” She grinned at him. “Say yes. Please?”

Laughing now, Albus nodded. “I think I shall rather enjoy spending time among the rabble.”

Eyes widening in shock, Harry let out a light laugh and beamed at him. “You know the time?”

“Yes. I shall meet you at the entrance to the Gryffindor stairs in exactly ten minutes before the party.”

She smiled and then winked at him before vanishing to her room, feeling quite relieved. Looking over her dress, Harry smiled brightly. She had bought it during one of her nightly travels. 

~the party~

Looking at herself in the mirror, Harry smiled. She was in a floor length gown of light tan layers of tulle with a single layer of black tulle on top. The bust and torso of the dress was covered in beautiful black stitch work of leaves and curling shapes. The dress was off the shoulder in style with a modest dip in the back, showing her shoulder blades, and a slight V in the front. The material beneath the stitching was nearly the exact shade of Harry’s skin so at first glance it looked like she wasn’t fully covered. The stitching of the dress continued around her hips and a few inches down the skirt. 

Harry’s hair was colored auburn and her lips were painted red, scarlet. She wore only black earrings of cloth that dangled down her neck, but she wore no necklace.

When Albus first saw her, he paused and seemed to only be able to stare. Harry laughed and reached out for his hand. Beaming, she murmured, “Have I stunned the Great Albus Dumbledore?”

His smile was wide across his seventeen year old face. “Not at all, Harriet. I was simply considering a problem about the sixth floor plumbing-”

“I will smack you, Headmaster in disguise or not.” Her grin negated her threat though.

“You look divine, Harriet. So much so, that I think a party of Slughorn’s isn’t good enough.” He grinned at her. “What say you and I go to a casino afterwards and enjoy some more time away from everyone who wants something from us?”

“Yes!” She laughed softly. “I’ll have to get Dobby to go fetch me some money-”

“Nonsense. My invitation. My expense.” He linked arms with her and then walked into the party. “My name is Albert Fallon by the way.”

“Nice name.” She smiled up at him and then beamed at a spluttering Slughorn.

“MY DEAR HARRIET! You look beautiful! Simply beautiful!”

Everyone seemed to pause and look at her. Tom broke his cocktail glass. Harry poked Albus’ mind. _‘Cover story to keep Tom satisfied. You are the grandnephew of the Minister in Finland and are traveling abroad. I invited you to see Hogwarts.’_

 _‘And thus Tom will see me not as a threat to fight you about, but as a conquest for your war effort. Perfect.’_ Albus winked at her and then turned and introduced himself to Slughorn, with a perfect Finnish accent.

Harry greeted everyone she was supposed to greet, smile at everyone she was supposed to smile at. She watched Albus from the corner of her eye. He was in a tuxedo with satin lapels, clearly expensive, and a red carnation in his right button. He also had gloves that he had checked at the door along with his traveling cloak. 

Tom slipped beside her to ‘give her a glass’. “Thank you.”

“So, Finland?”

“Not yet under the control of him. Sirius introduced us, hoping that by some miracle, I could…ah, how did he word it…”

Tom smirked. “Ensnare Mr Fallon’s soul?”

“Tom!” She gave him a look. “I don’t do that.” Her eyes clouded. “Not anymore…”

He sighed and pulled her into a tight hug. “I’ve forgiven you.”

“I’ve yet to forgive myself.” She forced a smile and then held out her hand for Albus’. “Albert, this is a very dear friend of mine, Tom Riddle. He’s one of the top students in Hogwarts.”

“Ah…it is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Riddle. I hope your hand is alright.”

“My…” Tom smiled suddenly, having remembered. “Yes. Silly accident. Glass can be so fragile sometimes.”

“Quite.” Albus smiled and then turned to Harry. “May I have this dance?”

“Of course!” She waved to Tom and then nodded to Hermione, with a thought to his head. _‘She’s with Cormac! The stupid lug is trying to grope her. Please get rid of him and save her!’_

Tom gaped at Hermione’s stupidity before doing as Harry asked/ordered. Harry relaxed when she saw Hermione and Tom duck behind the curtains. 

Albus chuckled. “You dance rather well, Harriet.”

“You’ve mentioned before.”

“Ah yes, during fourth year…you danced with Grindelwald if I recall.”

Harry shivered. “Ugh.” Then she pulled a face. “Annoyingly, he was a good dancer too.”

Snorting softly, Albus nodded. “There is very little that he fails at.”

“Hmm…arrogant?”

“Quite a bit. Could give Tom a run for his money.”

Harry gaped. “Surely not!”

Albus somberly nodded, but both of them burst out laughing.

They continued dancing gracefully while everyone around them was stumbling. Harry looked at Slughorn and then sighed. “Must I butter him up? Can’t I just tweak his soul?”

Pressing his lips together, Albus seriously considered it. “Is it possible?”

“Quite possible.”

“Then that is perhaps the easiest. Don’t change him too much. I quite like him the way he is.” He chuckled at Harry’s exasperated look. “Why didn’t you change Lockhart?”

“I told you, there has to be a seed of something for the emotion to grow larger. Lockhart didn’t even have a splinter of humility in him.”

Albus nearly stumbled. “My word.”

“Exactly. But Slughorn is doable. He wants to be brave, and I can work with that.”


	13. Night on the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Like it says on the tin, Albus and Harry spend a night on the town gambling, dancing, and drinking the night away. And generally acting like Purebloods and having a grand old time. Though they do see some old faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: underage drinking on Harry's part, but she's not technically human and could drink a god under the table, sooo...judge it for yourself. ; D  
> Ink...

Harry grinned at Albus and then looked over abruptly when she heard someone vomiting. They pulled away from the dancefloor as one and slipped closer. Just in time to hear…

“That just earned you a month’s detention, McLaggen.” Harry covered her mouth to hide her snickering. Albus was hard-pressed to keep himself from laughing also. They heard Snape continue, “Riddle, where is Harriet?”

“Dancing with the Finland fellow. Fallon.”

“I see. When you next see her, tell her that her uncle wishes to speak to her about something. He is downstairs in the Great Hall.”

“Right.” Severus cleaned his shoes of vomit and then swept off. Harry leaned against Albus and giggled into his shoulder.

Tom stepped out and immediately saw them. His eyes widened when he realized that they had seen McLaggen vomit on Snape.

“What caused him to lose his stomach?”

Tom smiled sweetly. “Dragons’ testicles.” He held up the platter. “Or so he thought after he ate one.”

Covering his mouth, Albus’ shoulders shook. “That was rather clever.” Harry nodded and then gave Tom a thank you kiss before blowing one to Albus and slipping away to see her uncle.

Albus loitered around the party, listening in on conversations, and generally avoiding Slughorn and Tom both. When the vampire sniffed at him one too many times, Albus made his sneakiest escape into the hall, pausing to listen in on a whispered conversation between what seemed to be Pansy Parkinson of all people and Severus Snape. Hiding in shadow, Albus stepped closer to watch and listen.

“You cannot afford to make mistakes like this, Pansy! If I had not caught you, then you would have been thrown into Azkaban. How did you get into the school? I told you I would get the wards-”

“Fat lot you know, Snape! I’ve been coming into and out of this school for the past term!” She sounded smug. Albus frowned. How had she entered without his knowing?!

“You are already being suspected, Pansy. Allow me to help you with the ca-”

“I don’t need your help! The Dark Lord told me to kill Potter, and to find a way in. I’ll succeed in both! I will!”

“I made an Unbreakable Vow, Pansy, to help you and provide you cover. What use is this if you stupidly refuse all aid I can give you?”

“Shut up! Shut up! I don’t need your help, so you’re just gonna have to break that vow then.” She gave a brash laugh. “He trusted  _ me _ with this, and I’ll see it done.”

“You’ve already failed in killing her twice before.”

“And what have you done?”

“The Dark Lord wishes me to continue my job. And part of that is-”

“Leave off! I don’t need your fucking help!” 

Albus blinked in surprise when he saw the girl transform into a crow and fly down the corridor and out the window. He revealed himself immediately. “Animagi will be the death of me one of these days. Perhaps I should become one?”

Grunting, Severus turned and looked at him. “ _ She _ was behind those attacks, and  _ she _ wants to fix the cabinet…”

“Well, eventually she’ll succeed in fixing the cabinet. Is he planning on coming?”

“I couldn’t see from her soul, and I didn’t dare to look into his.”

“Good thought.” 

Harry appeared beside them and huffed as Albus recounted what they had found out. “A crow. How fitting.” She smirked and then turned to Albus. “You promised me a casino.”

“So I did. What did your uncle want?”

“Wanted to let me know that Sirius is on the warpath. Apparently someone tried to burn the Daily Prophet tonight. Karina was inside after everyone else had gone for the day, and she smothered the flames with her shadows, so nothing was too badly damaged.

Severus scowled. “These riots are anonymous and dangerous.”

“But untouchable. The Ministry can’t exactly ban gatherings or arrest random people for arson.” Albus sighed.

“Doesn’t mean they won’t try. Scrimgeour is a fool.” Harry gripped her purse tightly in her hands.

Raising a finger, Albus sighed. “He is a desperate man who doesn’t want to go to war.”

She slumped at that and nodded. “I can see his point of view, through one eye and squinting, but I can see it.” Severus barked a soft laugh and then bid them goodnight and returned to the party.

Albus extended his arm to hers, and they vanished into shadow.

They enjoyed a time of friendship, revelry, and complete abandon, dancing and gambling the night away. Albus taught Harry roulette! 

First, they went to Monaco, where Harry won five hundred thousand Euros and danced with Albus until midnight struck in that country. They took a breather and stepped out onto a balcony of the ballroom that the casino had there.

Laughing, Harry closed her eyes and felt the breeze along her face. It was nice and cool. Her cheeks felt flushed. Dancing with Albus was nice. “I like dancing with you.” She twisted around and grinned at him. “You know what you’re doing. Tom is mature, but everyone around me is still young and inexperienced. I like not being the most experienced person in the room sometimes.”

Albus huffed a laugh and then tossed his cigarette over the side (Aberforth only allowed him one a week, though Albus still argues that since he’s immortal he can have at least one vice), watching it fall into the water. Harry joined him at his side and stared at the huge cruise ship with glittering lights on the water below it. “I often wondered what it was like to be rich. I saw those Purebloods, listened to my father talk about his childhood. He crashed a ten thousand galleon broom once and his father bought him a new one the very next day.” Harry extended her right hand and stared at her nails. Not manicured. 

Smirking at her, Albus shook his head. “You would have been so spoiled, Harry.”

“True, but I would have loved every moment of it.” She laughed. 

Snorting, Albus shook his head. “Not so. You wouldn’t have known the difference and so would have probably been bored with your wealth.”

Harry made a face and then grunted slightly as she turned and looked at the beautiful couples dancing together in the room just inside. “What was your youth like?”

“My life?” Albus laughed harshly, suddenly looking young and broody. Harry stared at him, transfixed. His eyes had darkened. “It was hell.” She stared at him in shock, mouth a perfect ‘O’. Turning away, Albus stared back at the cruise ship. “When I was the only child born, my family was happy. When I turned two, Aberforth was born. They were still happy. We have a good name. People respected the Dumbledores. We had good breeding. Mother pretended to be a Half Blood, instead of a Muggle Born. She cared  _ so much _ for the opinions of others.” A half snarl formed on his lips. Harry rested her hand on his upper arm. Albus immediately uncoiled at the touch. He lowered his head slightly and stared at his hands. “Then disaster struck. Father attacked a group of Muggle boys, ages nine to fourteen. Rumors spread about him. Pedophile, psychopath, cold blooded murderer, Muggle Hater…and suddenly all those who were my friends in Hogwarts turned against me. It hurt. Hogwarts became just as much of a hell as home was.”

“Because of Ariana?”

“Surprisingly, Ariana kept mostly to herself. Even after the attack.” Albus turned his head and stared at Harry. “No, it was Mother and Aberforth. They were always fighting. Always hissing and spitting and demanding I take their side, growing furious if I didn’t or if I chose the ‘wrong’ side. In Hogwarts, my father was a killer, at home, I was a monster. I never experienced peace or quiet.” Albus stared at the stares. “I began to distance myself from the family. Grindelwald helped distract me from them. Then Ariana had an episode. She killed Mother. Aberforth managed to calm her down, but…I had my wings clipped. The more the family relied on me, the more I relied on Grindelwald. It was a vicious cycle.” 

Albus swallowed. “Auntie Bathilda helped us. She made it so that the people around Godric’s Hollow still thought Mother was alive. Just until I was an adult in the Muggle World too, eighteen. Father had Muggle businesses that I was set to inherit. Then, we shared her death. She died of…an accident. Falling down the stairs or something. I don’t quite remember the lie we shared about that one. We told so many. Mother was very proud, very keen on keeping secrets. She kept Ariana a secret. She no longer wanted to be talked about. She was furious with me when I became Prefect, not to mention becoming Head Boy. She was never happy when I brought attention to the house with some sort of academic innovation or record breaking research. Aberforth took to that mentality easily. He was very happy with becoming a nobody, an academic bum.”

Harry exhaled slowly and leaned against him, not at all surprised when Albus accepted her silent off of a hug. “Have you ever brought your mother back?”

“Hell no.” Albus pulled away and then smiled at her. “No, I’m quite happy where she is.” He grabbed her hand and then led her gently to the bar. “Good sir, martinis! We are hungry.” “Starting here,” he set his hand at one end of the bar top, “and ending here,” Albus grinned as he rested his hand at the other end. Harry was laughing, letting the serious moment slip away. The bartender gaped for a moment but did as requested and lined up the martinis.

Once they were done drinking Monaco dry, they then moved onto Madrid. Harry smiled at him before turning her head to prepare for a fast spin as they danced on the marble floor of the ballroom in the casino. Tensing as she thought she saw someone she knew, Harry looked closer. Yelping while in Albus’ arms, Harry gave him a wide-eyed look. “I think Grindelwald is on the other side of that pillar.”

Looking suitably alarmed, Albus turned his head sharply and stared over at where Gellert was indeed shaking hands with the French Ambassador. They danced quickly passed as he exhaled tiredly. “Well, France is definitely beyond us now.”

“I don’t think that’s what we need to be focusing on right now, Albus.” Harry pulled them both off the dancefloor and into the gambling rooms.

Albus hummed. “You’re right. We need to worry about what he’s doing in Spain.”

“No…” She gave him a sharp look. “We need to worry about him finding us and completely spoiling our evening!”

Rolling his eyes in a surprisingly youthful action, Albus bought a stack of ten thousand Euro chips and stepped over to the roulette table. “Glamour yourself then, Harry.” Suddenly, he had blond hair, short, with tan skin and differently ice blue eyes. Harry did the same thing, coloring her hair white blonde with blue eyes, but her skin was almost translucently pale. Albus studied her and then scoffed. “Copy cat.”

“Meow.” She smirked at him and then stole half of his chips and laid a bet on twelve red.

Albus straightening tensely was Harry’s only warning before she saw Gellert  _ joining them at their table. _ Harry felt a scream slowly rise up through her throat, but she swallowed it back down and linked arms with Albus and giggled loudly when she won.

Gellert shot her an annoyed look, but he didn’t leave the table like Harry had wanted.  _ Drat it. _ He was talking with Narcissa, who was on his arm. Harry gave Albus an alarmed look and spoke to his mind.  _ ‘I thought you said that Draco had convinced his mother to turn away from Grindelwald?!’ _

_ ‘The boy must have been fooled by her.’ _

_ ‘Motherfucker!’ _

_ ‘Crude but apt. This is a very bad development. Do you know if she has been made aware of anything?’ _

_ ‘No, Tom actually told Draco to keep his mother in the dark about everything until I could get around to reading her soul.’ _

_ ‘At least this can be contained then. But how are we to go about this? We will need proof to convince Draco that his mother has betrayed him.’ _

_ ‘We were fools to think she would leave his side. Narcissa Malfoy is besotted with her Dark Lord.’ _

_ ‘He does have a strange allure.’ _ Albus looked up when they won, and then he smiled brightly as he chose to let it ride. Harry tittered annoyingly at his side before mentally speaking to him again. 

_ ‘Show him your memory of tonight after school lets out. It’ll give him time and privacy to deal with this alone and without people making an issue of it.’ _

_ ‘Very well.’ _ Albus continued watching the couple across the table from himself and Harry while they continued gambling and winning or losing. They finally moved along after Harry lost about half their money. 

Checking herself in her compact mirror, Harry cursed quietly. “He’s coming towards us.”

“Why?”

“Dunno.” Harry turned and smiled at him, leaning against him ‘drunkenly’. “Sorry in advance.” He only had a brief moment of confusion before she pulled him into a kiss. Gellert faltered and then walked past them and continued to the balconies. Harry pulled away, giggled as she removed her lipstick from Albus’ dazed face before pulling him off towards the ‘guest rooms’. Once alone, they vanished to Athens.

They arrived at an actual party (some dignitary’s anniversary party in the Magical World), promptly crashing it and having a wonderful time dancing around the host’s outdoor swimming pool before walking out on their pier and enjoying the Aegean waters. “Sorry for kissing you.” Harry gave him a sly smile. “Gotta ask though, was that your first kiss in a century?”

“Not at all.” Albus huffed. “You simply took me by surprise, that is all. Remember, I had a rather lovely night with Bartemius Crouch.”

“Ah, right. Aberforth is still pissed about that runaround.”

“He never wants me to have any fun.” Albus laughed softly and stared at the black water. “Why did you ask if it was my first kiss since…” He trailed off and shot her a look. “It wasn’t that bad.”

Snickering, Harry waved her hand. “No, no! Just tasted a little rusty.”

“You brat.”

Laughing now, Harry pulled him into the small floating pagoda attached to the dock. They could still hear the music as she allowed him to pull her into another dance. She sighed tiredly. “I wouldn’t mind being immortal, if this is what we can do every so often.”

“This wouldn’t grow boring?” He glanced down at her in curiosity.

Shaking her head, Harry smiled at the moon. “I don’t think I could ever grow bored, not with Aberforth and you and Death to keep me company. To hold me above water when my friends…” Her face clouded over. Albus changed the subject.

“Have you ever heard the tale of the Three Sisters of the Moon?”

“The Moon Spinners. Yes. It’s an old Cretan tale, isn’t it?”

“It is indeed.” Albus chuckled and stared at the waxing moon. “Beautiful tonight.”

After crashing that party, they sped off to Istanbul, stole a flying carpet and flew it around the coastline (a first for both Albus and Harry, flying a carpet, not the stealing), and finally they went to Dubai. 

They spent money, drank alcohol, and flirted with everyone and each other carelessly and without any meaning. Harry had her first Champaign! 

When they were on the last stop, Dubai, Albus spun her around in a beautiful waltz, the Masquerade Waltz of War and Peace, according to Albus. The magical community there was comprised of the elite and the powerful, so Harry and Albus felt right at home. The lights dazzled Harry’s eyes and the wine made everything delightfully brilliant. Albus was beaming at her as they matched the fast tempo of the music. Harry closed her eyes and smiled, tilting her head upward. 

“Enjoying yourself?” It was a silly question, but Albus felt the need to fill the air with talk.

“I was born for this life, Albus. I was born to be a Potter, a lady…I’m so  _ glad  _ I’m free of that cupboard.”

He held her tighter and sighed against her hair. “I’m sorry, Harriet, that you had to live through that hell.”

“It’s alright now. I’m alright.” She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. “It’s wonderful how close we are. Imagine if I hadn’t taught you anything, if we weren’t close…”

“I would be bereft without you to call a friend.” He smiled softly. When the dance ended, he bowed to her and then guided her back to Hogwarts. He saw her safely to the tower and then kissed her hand before vanishing to his own tower.

Harry giggled softly and stumbled slightly as she walked up the steps, humming the Merry Widow waltz under her breath. Hermione hissed at her for coming in so late, but Harry was too buzzed to care. She crashed on her bed in her dress and twisted around so her back was on the mattress and she was looking up. She smiled at the canopy.

“Hermione…this was the most fun I have had since Antonin…”

Pausing in helping her get her shoes off, Hermione looked at her friend. This was the first time Harry had said his name. “I’m glad, Harry. But we have to pack tomorrow, so you should rest.”

“Hmm.” Harry was already dozing against her pillow. Hermione smiled in amusement and left her friend to herself.

The next morning, Harry was in a rush, cursing at an overly amused Hermione while stripping off her dress. “Oh you! Dobby!”

Her Elf popped up and beamed at her. “Mistress needs Dobby?”

“Yes, pack my things, please. I’m late already! Apparently alcohol can get me to sleep!”

Dobby quickly did as asked and then swiftly moved to magic away all the makeup and cleaned Harry’s hair. Harry peeled off her dress and handed it to Dobby who got drowned in it for a bit before cleaning it with a snap and packing it away in a large trunk. Harry huffed and pulled on some jeans and her light blue button-up blouse. “There’s another fair going on near my house, Hermione. Do you want to come? I’m inviting everyone I know.” She smiled. “The purebloods won’t know what hit them. Thank you Dobby, you are invaluable.” Dobby teared up with joy and then vanished with a bow.

Harry smiled softly as she combed and spelled her hair to behave. “Now! I’m ready! Dobby is really invaluable! I couldn’t have done this without him!” Harry ignored Hermione’s pinched look. “Now! Let’s go!” She vanished their trunks to the station and then hurried down with her silent friend to the Great Hall where everyone else was loitering, waiting for the carriages. 

Sidling up to her Tom raised an eyebrow. “So, Ginny tells me that you didn’t come in until four.”

Laughing, Harry nodded, eyes gleaming. “After I parted ways with Fallon, I traveled a bit around the world. I can’t sleep, remember, so I went to parties around the world and flirted with strangers and had too much wine and spent too much money on roulette. I felt like a Pureblood!”

Draco and Blaise appeared near her. “You should have informed us. We would have gone with you.” Faltering at the sight of Draco, it took her a moment to register his words. Harry frowned and looked at Draco with a blink. 

“How long have you known about my abilities?”

Draco grinned. “Since I overheard you and Tom talking in an alcove before he put up the silencing spell.”

Harry gaped at him. “THAT WAS BLOODY FIRST YEAR!” Tom was rubbing his face tiredly.

Grinning, Draco winked at her and then nodded to Tom before ascending into a carriage. However, he was called away for a moment by an Elf. Tom frowned as he watched his fellow Slytherin walk back into the castle. Harry didn’t make eye contact with Tom or anyone else as she moved swiftly to her own carriage.  _ Poor Draco. _

She joined Hermione and Ron and told them quickly how Pansy was getting in. She mentally told Tom too, so he could watch out for crows. However, she told them all to leave Pansy be. The Headmaster was aware of her plans as well, and they should trust the war strategy to him.

Tom was grudging, but he finally gave in and promised not to interfere.

It was December 15th, and Harry couldn’t wait to get to Sirius and Remus. She would send invites to all her friends to join her at the fair that was coming to her town near her house. She couldn’t wait for Albus to try candy floss.

She got onto the train and quickly called Nina. The Elf appeared. 

“Mistress?”

“I need my writing briefcase, the one Karina gave me.”

“Yes, Mistress.” Nina smiled wide and vanished. Harry grinned at Ron and ignored Hermione’s tight look, again. Blaise piped up from the other compartment across from theirs. Draco was conspicuously missing. 

“How many Elves do you have?”

“Well, there’s Dobby, thank you by the way, then there’s Pops, Nina, Tabitha, and Kreacher.” 

Blinking, Theo stared at her. “Five? Why do you need so many?”

“Well, Dobby is my personal Elf. Pops takes care of the Black estates outside of England. Nina is Sirius’ personal Elf. Tabitha takes care of all the Potter estates, and Kreacher is useless in the Black townhouse.”

Blaise barked a laugh. “Why haven’t you freed him?”

“The little beast would probably kill us the moment we did.” Harry shuddered. “Better to have a leash on him than anything else.”

Daphne grimaced. “Right. Makes sense.”

Stumbling into the compartment, Ron breathed out. “Damn…”

Harry raised an eyebrow at him. “What’s your problem?”

“I’ve just escaped from Lav.” Hermione seemed to perk up at the wording. Ron continued, “All she wants to do is kiss! My lips are going chapped!”

Tom burst out laughing. 

Nina popped back and gave her the requested briefcase. Harry smiled and then quickly wrote out a single invitation and copied it nine times. That done, she grinned and addressed them.

_ The Weasley Family _ she handed to Tom with a grin. She gave Blaise  _ Zabini Family _ . Theo got one with his name on it. Then Harry handed Daphne one with  _ Daphne and Astoria _ . She gave Hermione a letter with her friend’s name on it. And then Harry hunted down Neville, and Luna to give them theirs.

When she got back, Blaise was looking eager. “A Muggle Fair! I’ll get to see Muggles for myself!”

Daphne was also interested. Astoria was a bit frightened. “What do we dress like?”

“Me.” Harry did a slow twirl for them. “Jeans and blouse. Common clothes. You’ll blend in. Course, you gotta hide the wands and not do magic.”

Tom was grinning. He had never been to a fair before. This had put a smile on Hermione’s face again, Harry was glad to see.

With the last three invites, Harry sent them off with Hedwig when the train slowed down for a turn. One was to  _ Severus Snape _ , another was to  _ Draco Malfoy, _ and the last was to  _ The Dumbledore Brothers. _

In the invites were details about the times, the location, and the dates and where to meet up and when. They were all going to show up at Harry’s place at five in the afternoon on December 19th. Harry wasn’t worried about the weather. She’d charm it good just for the occasion. She loved weather charms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> link to Harry's dress. Hopefully this works. sigh...  
> https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ezzylynn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/red-black-and-white-wedding-dresses-spring-dresses-to-wear-to-a-wedding-Gothic-Wedding-Dresses.jpg&imgrefurl=http://ezzylynn.com/choices-of-option-for-gothic-wedding-dresses/red-black-and-white-wedding-dresses-spring-dresses-to-wear-to-a-wedding-gothic-wedding-dresses/&h=1112&w=800&tbnid=iI10Kd9TsMaSMM&tbnh=265&tbnw=190&usg=AI4_-kQCMlZB4exgULIsLNDhM_pyhOBN-Q&vet=1&docid=L4I0h6tg1vFnlM#h=1112&imgdii=kKiMEg4bi7KYEM:&tbnh=265&tbnw=190&vet=1&w=800


	14. Fair Thee Well

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry shows the Purebloods the world of the Muggles. This is going to be fun. ; D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update!!! *winces  
> Ink...

Harry beamed at her group of friends. The entire Weasley Family was here, minus Percy and Charlie, and plus Tom and Fleur. Karina and Blaise and a subdued but striving to be cheerful Draco, Sirius and Remus, the Dumbledore brothers, Severus, Luna, Hermione and her parents, Neville, Daphne and Astoria, and Theo. All together, twenty-six people.

“Alright, the tickets have already been paid for. Each group  _ has _ to have a Muggle, Muggle Born, or Muggle raised Halfblood with them. That is a must.” She beamed at them. “So! These are the groups!” Harry had no intention of anyone getting arrested or lost today. “I will be in charge of Sirius, Albus, and Aberforth. Tom will be in charge of Fred, George, Blaise, and Karina. Hermione will be in charge of Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Neville. Remus will be in charge of Bill, Fleur, Molly, and Arthur. Severus will be in charge of Draco, Theo, Daphne, and Astoria. Hermione’s parents, Violet and Frank, will be the chief overseers in case there are questions or situations that not even the minders know.” 

There was laughter from Tom at that part.

Looking around, Harry smiled. “Everyone happy about their groups?” Everyone was still looking excited, especially Arthur. “Great! Now, money! The tickets are separately priced from anything else you are interested in inside the gate, except for the rides. All of you have free passes for the rides, as many as you want. Do not worry about the safety of said rides. I’ve researched this fair, and it’s never had a crash.” Molly’s smile shrank a bit. Hermione facepalmed. “Now! Let us be off! Apparators, if you please!” Harry was practically bouncing. 

When they arrived Frank and Violet Granger groaned. “We’ll take the car next time, thanks.”

Hermione quickly gave her parents something similar to smelling salts and helped them stand up. When everyone had gathered at the gates, Harry gave the tickets over to the man and he gave them their wristbands. Moving passed the Muggles, Harry gave five bands to each of the Minders. “These wristbands are to inform everyone working the rides that you can get in for free.” Fleur wrinkled her nose at the adornment but let Bill attach it for her.

Fred yelped. “No! No! Wrong wrist! Take it off! George’s is on the left! Mine’s gotta be on the-” 

Tom- who had done it on purpose- grinned. “Sorry, adhesive only works on one application. But thanks for admitting who was who. Left Wrist is George everyone!” Molly breathed a thank you to Tom. The twins sulked.

Grabbing Sirius’ leather jacket, she gave her godfather a look. “No wandering off.” Severus sneered.

“Having trouble with your lion charges, Miss Potter?”

Sirius turned on him. “At least I don’t have the individuality of a teaspoon, unlike your Slytherins who are mini copies of their parents!” Draco looked very offended, but he remained silent. Albus rested a soft hand on his shoulder, and Harry was happy to see Draco slowly uncoil.

Remus pushed everyone onwards to the fair map. “Alright, we are here, and- where’s Aberforth?”

Harry blinked and realized she was no longer standing beside the man. “I’m gonna kill him.”

Rubbing his face, Albus exhaled and then scanned the area with his senses. “He’s beside a lot of animals.”

“Zoo exhibit then.” Harry grabbed a pamphlet of the fair, which included a map, and then waved to the others. “Sirius, Albus, let’s go grab a halfblood.” When they collected Aberforth, Harry waved her map around. “Rides anyone?”

“That one.” Sirius pointed immediately to the Twister. Albus blanched. Aberforth looked game.

Harry grunted. “Albus and I will sit this one out, however, that looks like Tom’s group with the twins. You two won’t be alone.” Sirius beamed and they hurried off to join the others. 

Watching the others up there, Tom lounged on a bench and then smiled at Albus who was trying to figure out if he liked candy floss or not. 

“It dissolves too quickly in my mouth. I can barely ascertain what the flavor is…” He pulled off another piece and slipped it into his mouth and looked thoughtful. 

Enjoying her caramel apple, Karina smirked at her son, who was trying to figure out a clean way to eat his pudding with a paper plate.

“My food is problematic.” Blaise scowled at it.

“I personally like the fish and chips from that kiosk.” Tom munched on his third and pointed to the food shop across the fair road. 

“Mmm…” Harry looked around and then grinned. “I can take all my Nec students to an American fair also. They’re quite different. More rides and more greasy foods.” Tom snorted. 

“I’m game. I’ve heard something about an elephant ear.”

“Oh yes! Those are delicious!” Harry smiled. “Batter cooked in oil like a donut and then dusted with powdered sugar. Also deep fried oreos and milky ways bars.”

Karina blinked. “Sounds unhealthy.”

“Mum, you’re eating an apple dipped in caramel.”

“Well, yes, but at least it’s not boiled in oil!”

“Sirius would love it.” Albus hummed and then nodded. “Ride’s over. I’m surprised they can walk.” Sirius was beaming like a lunatic.

After their groups parted ways- Karina wanted to see some of the more cultural Muggle exhibits- Harry led her group to the food section of the fair. Puddings, chips, roasts, Sirius was once again in heaven. 

They found Hermione’s group there, with Ron and Neville eating everything in sight.

After that, Sirius wanted to digest his food before other rides, so they went to enjoy some music of Muggles and found Fleur and Bill dancing near the stage. Ginny was laughing as Bill made a fool of himself by not knowing the steps and moves. “Charlie will be sorry he missed this!”

Harry stole one of her chips and then grinned as Sirius took a blushing Violet Granger to the floor in front of the stage to dance. Frank didn’t look peeved and started talking with Arthur about Muggle contraptions, explaining what everything was. Microphone, drum, guitar, pram etc.

They found Severus and his group in front of a haunted house. Daphne and Astoria came screaming out. Harry grinned. “I might have forgotten to tell you that the reviews stated this was one of the best houses on tour in England.”

Astoria was clutching her chest and breathing heavily. “Why do people  _ want _ to be scared?!” She was standing beside Draco, who seemed eager to help get her mind of things and in doing so get his own mind off of things. 

Sirius grinned and looked at the house before grabbing Aberforth and moving towards it. Harry yelped and summoned their wands before they left. She looked around as she pocketed them. “Sirius has a strict shoot spell first and ask questions later.” Severus rolled his eyes.

“Why am I not surprised?”

Theo looked around and then smiled. “Can I try that thing?”

“That is a Muggle gun.” Frank Granger smiled. “I’ve gone hunting with real ones. Come on, I’ll show you. This wouldn’t harm anyone, provided you don’t aim at someone’s eye. It shoots tiny beads, these see?” Theo listened intently to what Frank had to say. Draco slipped over quickly to listen also. 

Albus, who had seen guns before, stayed with Harry to wait for Aberforth and Sirius’ eventual return. Hopefully in one piece. 

Cheering caused Harry to look over and she grinned when she saw Draco making every single shot. “He’s a natural!” Albus hummed softly. 

“Yes…” He had that schemer glint in his eyes. Turning, he looked at Harriet. “I have something that only you can do, my dear.”

“Oh? And what’s that?” She smiled at him. 

Pulling her gently closer so he could lower his voice, Albus spoke up. “Draco quietly confronted his mother and is going through the process of revoking her position in the Malfoy House. It is…a nasty business for him. I’m glad that you invited him here so he can get his mind off of such things.”

“Does he need a legal team?”

“No, he has a very good team of his own. Let’s just hope no one in the news gets ahold of this. Also, there is to be a Christmas Eve ball held by the Minister of Switzerland. I have it on good authority that Grindelwald will be attending the ball in order to win over the man and his family. I cannot place myself in his path-”

“He’ll try and take you, but for me, he can’t attack me in such a public place.” Harry smiled and nodded. “I’ll go. What’s the theme?”

“No theme. Everyone, who is anyone, will be there.” He smiled at her. “I’m sorry about sending you off to do something like this-”

“Albus, relax.” She kissed his cheek lightly before pulling back and smiling at him. “I have been trained by Death and Sirius Black. I have been schooled by my father and even my grandmother’s ghost, who was very happy to be able to meet her heir, I assure you.” Albus chuckled.

“I trust you to take care of yourself, but do not hesitate to speak to me-”

“About anything. I know. Thank you.” Harry laughed and then released him quickly.

Chuckling now, Albus winked at her. “You don’t have to let go, you know.”

Harry rolled her eyes at him with a grin and then jumped when Sirius came rushing out, roaring with laughter.

“I did not scream!” Scowling, Aberforth snatched back his wand from Harry.

“You did too! I heard it!” Sirius clung to Harry, he was laughing so hard. Aberforth scowled and stormed off to get something to drink at the pub that had set up shop nearby. Albus merely shook his head, nodded to Severus and then wandered after his brother. 

Waving and congratulating Draco- who had given his stuffed prize to Astoria with a blush- Harry and Sirius hurried after their friends.

All in all, the fair was a grand idea, and Harry could easily see this happening again. A huge black dog came at her, clearly barking for her to keep up. Eyes widening, Harry shook her head. “Padfoot, no! No pets allowed!”

“Hey!” A security guard came up to them. Harry groaned. Padfoot raced off around a tent and then came back as Sirius. “Sir! Did you see a dog?”

“Dog? No! I hope there aren’t any dogs around here! My great-grandmother is allergic to them, you see. Simply goes to pieces when any are near. She’s not here right now, and I hope there aren’t any dogs for her here where she’s not here to fall to pieces upon seeing. Have a great night.” Sirius gave the man a winning smile and walked off, winking at Harry, who merely rolled her eyes and shook her head.

~three hours later~

The twins were groaning on the floor of her manor. Harry watched all her friends as they slowly, one by one, fell into food comas.

Sirius bounced into the room. “What’s for dinner?” Blinking at her godfather, Harry smirked. Almost everyone.


	15. Dance with Danger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry is thrown off balance and doesn't know which end is up.  
> Meanwhile, Gellert is just having a great time screwing with people, and...well...screwing people.

~December 24, 1996~

Stepping out of her carriage, Harry scanned the foyer and entryway and then paused when the House Elf called out her name. When she had been greeted, Harry smiled and moved along the proper circuit, going up the right side of the double staircase and ascending to the mezzanine. 

She set her sights on the Duke and Duchess hosting the party to which the Minister of Switzerland was attending. Curtsying deeply to them when it was her turn to greet, Harry stood and smiled.

“Thank you for extending an invitation to me, Your Grace.”

The man smiled and then patted her hand. “What sort of party would this be if Lady Harriet Potter-Black was not invited?”

Blushing faintly, Harry smiled demurely and then moved along to mingle with the others. When the ballroom was opened and the dancing began, Harry slipped into the powder room and checked her face and dress. Third dance on her mostly blank card was with Minister Frederick Langley of Switzerland. She didn’t need to rush. Humming softly, Harry smiled at her black dress with red poinsettia flowers stitched in a wrapping pattern from around her neck to her right shoulder and then downward across her torso to around her hips. 

Her dress’ back dipped down to the bottom of her shoulder blades in a graceful slope, but the skin was covered by rather ornate beadwork. Her right arm was covered in a long sleeve of black lace while her left arm was bare. 

She had picked it out when she was in Spain last year with Sirius, and Harry was glad that she was able to wear it. 

Her hair was pinned up and held in place by a ruby encrusted hair slide that was formed into what looked like two dragons one on each side, with a black silver pin pushed down through her hair to keep it all inside the barrette. 

Her black earrings were so long she could feel them brush against the tops of her shoulders. Harry particularly loved this dress because the style of it allowed the dress to be also her necklace, forming a nice enclosed space of bare skin along her upper chest. 

She danced with a Lord Statten of Finland, and a Count Bastion of Italy, and then she curtsied to the Minister and let him pull her along in a beautiful waltz. 

“My Lord Minister…I must admit I did not expect to see you here today.” Harry smiled at him after the dance as he escorted her to the refreshments table. Harry was feeling slightly thirsty. 

“Whyever not, my dear, Lady Potter-Black?”

She smiled sweetly at him. “Why, I thought for certain you wouldn’t have the time to attend. Several Ministers are so busy during such things as war preparation.” She thanked the Elf for her punch.

He smiled tiredly. “Switzerland has always and will always be a neutral country. Both the Muggle Federal Council and I are in complete agreement. We have not been called to fight in the past, and so we will not fight in the present.”

Nodding, Harry smiled at him sadly. “I only wish England was as lucky…” She sighed softly. “Already there is fighting and squabbling…I hear horror stories about Sweden and Durmstrang…France…people are fleeing their homes in the night…I fear what may happen to England next. He has his sights set on our shores…”

The minister grimaced slightly. “War is a terrible thing that many people deem a necessity.”

Harry huffed a bitter laugh and set down her half empty glass. “It is only a necessity when one of the two sides does not wish for peace.”

“That is true…from a certain standpoint.” Harry laughed at his politic answer. 

She scanned his soul and then placed a special shielding around it, similar to how she protected Albus during his insomnia days. Grindelwald would not be able to get at the minister while she was alive. 

If she couldn’t persuade the man through words, then neither could Grindelwald. She could already see that. Curtsying to the minister again, Harry made her exit gracefully and moved on. Her card was mostly empty, since Harry had only paid the House Elf to get the Minister on it. 

“If you are not taken, my lady, then allow me to have this dance.”

Harry turned and felt her heart turn to ice. Gellert’s eyes widened. She frowned at him. He was truly surprised? 

Charm covered his face and hid his surprise, and he proffered his arm once more. Harry knew it would be the height of bad manners to leave him hanging, no matter if he  _ was _ a Dark Lord. Many dignitaries here were from Dark Families and looked up at him with rose colored glasses and heart eyes. She couldn’t afford to get into their bad books until all the lines were absolutely drawn.

Slowly, she took his arm and let him lead her onto the dancefloor. 

“You seem hesitant.”

“To be in the arms of the man who currently wants me dead and who killed my parents? Hmm, I wonder why I would be hesitant at all.” Her eyes flashed.

Gellert chuckled. “When I saw you from the back, I did not know it would be you.”

“Your surprise made that quite clear.”

“You know me so well to read my face?” His eyes sparkled. “I’m flattered.”

“Don’t be. Know thy enemy.”

“True. A pity that I seem to be stopped at every turn in my research of you. Though your old school books have greatly helped me in my learning our shared art form.” 

Harry nearly pulled away in surprise but his hands tightened around her. “What?”

“You didn’t notice they were gone from your bookshelf? I took them last year when you so impolitely dropped me into the Underworld to die.” He tutted at her.

“I haven’t returned to my old rooms in some time…” Harry was saying this half to herself but then she looked at him with sharp eyes. “None of my books contain the secrets to Soul Magic or Energy Manipulation.”

“Yes, very tedious of you. Though I can’t really blame you for hiding the two most dangerous areas of Necromancy. Most of the things I read that you were good enough to lend me were about the history of Death Magic and just how the Ministries caught our people.”

Harry hissed out a breath and then moved to leave when the waltz ended, but he merely checked her escape by placing an arm around her waist. When the next song began, he pulled her into another waltz.

It was the Emperor’s Waltz. Harry hid her sneer as he pulled her along gracefully around the floor. “Did you arrange this?”

He chuckled softly. “Now that you mention it…” His eyes twinkled. “I did.” He pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, “Do you know why I first approached you?”

“I am not interested to know.”

“Liar.” He laughed into her hair. “I approached you thinking that you would be an excellent way to spend my evening.”

She stilled and then pulled slightly away to look him in the face. “You’re gay. You like Albus!”

His eyes sharpened at her words, but he spoke smoothly. “Do not think that though my heart belongs to him, I would deprive myself of companionship. And I’m bisexual, my pet.” His eyes glittered. “Though, now that you are a woman grown, I cannot help but admit you would look glorious in bed. Between Albus and myself…where you always have been…” Gellert tightened his hands around her waist. “And where you seem to insist upon staying…like a beautiful pest.”

Letting the man pull her closer, Harry spoke calmly while taking the opportunity to slip her hand into his pocket to steal the Elder Wand. “He has made it quite clear, I think, that he does not appreciate your attention.” Harry breathed through her shock as she tried to focus on the more important things. Her enemy was…Grindelwald was so utterly confusing. She hadn’t anticipated that he would stoop to  _ flirting  _ with her to knock her off balance!

“Oh, I think he doth protest too much.” Gellert laughed before snatching her hand from his pocket and pulling her into traveling with him before pulling her into the classic waltz step once more. Harry rolled her eyes at the admonishing look he sent her.

“What can I say? It was worth a shot.”

Snorting lightly, Gellert shook his head, and then he looked at the band and then smiled. “Do you know the Austrian folk dance called the Leandler?”

“Yes, it was one of the first dances I learned among other folk dances- what are you doing?!” This was hissed at him when Gellert signalled the band, who gracefully ended the current song and started the music he had silently requested. 

Smiling, Gellert gently pulled her into the first part of the dance, the step hop, and then turn, and then step hop… Harry’s reclaimed calm was now short lived. Every nerve in her body tingled with his nearness. She had never been this physically close to anyone in a sexual way, not even Antonin.

Harry knew that everyone else- who knew the dance- was doing it, but somehow she felt like she and Gellert were dancing completely alone. Her breathing quickened as he stepped away and began gently clapping in time as she danced around him, knowing his eyes were slipping over her form. Going still, Harry steadied her heart as he danced around her and then moved in time with the music and the crowd. She held out her hand, and his gloved one took hers and guided her calmly back to his front where they clasped hands and formed the frame that they looked at each other through. 

Completely unused to being in the eye of such intense,  _ adult _ observation, Harry felt her cheeks start to warm, much to her displeasure. She wasn’t bold and flirtatious as Ginny, nor as comfortable in public displays of affection like Lavender, but…she wasn’t a schoolgirl. Well, she technically was, but that didn’t matter! 

She was an  _ adult _ , fighting a war, dying several times already in her young life. She could dance a bloody dance with her enemy!

But every touch felt like she was being buzzed, and every gaze from his eyes felt like he was pulling her dress away inch by inch. She wasn’t getting enough air. 

He smiled down at her as the dance finished with them closer together. Slowly, he drew away and dropped into a bow with her hand loosely held in his and pressed against his lips. His eyes had never strayed from her own. 

Swallowing, Harry withdrew her hand and looked around. No one seemed to have noticed the strange tension. As she tried to move away, Gellert simply followed her into the gardens. “You are not used to this?”

“Dancing? I’m quite used to it. I’ve danced several times in several parties.” Harry cursed silently. That came out too defensive. He chuckled and then stepped closer to her without touching her.

“Flirtation…I seem to recall you acting similarly with Mr. Riddle back during your fourth year. You simply lost all cool and calm when romance and flirting words came into the conversation.”

Harry swallowed and breathed out lightly. “I’m rather thirsty. Excuse me.”

“Allow me.” He smiled at her and then went inside and collected a glass of Champagne. However, when he returned to the veranda on the side of the ballroom, it was empty with the telltale coldness of Death Magic used. He chuckled and drank from the glass instead. 

“How fascinating…”

Meanwhile, Harry appeared in her room in the Potter estate in Norway. It overlooked a beautiful fjord and the sea far below. “Tabitha!”

Her Elf popped up immediately. Harry waved to herself. “Get me out of this, please, and then inform Lord Dumbledore the elder that I have completed his request and shall tell him the details later.”

“Yes, my lady!” Tabitha quickly undid her dress and magicked it off of her and cleaned it up before putting it away. Harry dismissed the Elf and removed her earrings and makeup on her own. She slowly took down her hair and stared at her reflection. She had purposefully softened her beauty so she could make a more innocent impression on the Minister. It seemed to have worked. 

Swallowing and ignoring how her hands shook slightly, Harry closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the vanity top which cooled her skin.  _ This is embarrassing. How could I react like that? To his touch? He killed my parents! The man likes men! Why did he… _ Harry snapped her head up and stared at her reflection in shock as she remembered Albus’ offhand comment. No…Gellert Grindelwald was bisexual, and had an interest in threesomes… Feeling faint, Harry closed her eyes again and tried to breathe.

Tabitha appeared. “Lord Dumbledore is pleased with your message and wishes to breakfast with you, my lady.”

“When?” Harry sounded tired to her own ears.

“At nine tomorrow, my lady.”

“Thank you, Tabitha, that will be all. You may retire for the night.”

“Thank you, my lady.” Tabitha beamed and vanished.

Harry wearily pulled off her undergarments and then changed into lounge pants of sheer chiffon that loosely flowed around her legs with her private parts covered in thicker lace. She wore a loose lace sleep bra and combed out her hair.

With a tired sigh, she slipped through the veil and entered her room to take stock of her missing books. None of the books Grindelwald had taken would be any danger to her. It would simply mean more information for him. So perhaps it was a danger…who cared anymore at this time of night? She settled onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. 

Death sensed her and checked in on her. “Harriet? What’s the matter?”

“Grindelwald…I just came back from Bern…he was there. I succeeded in safeguarding the minister and several others, but…”

“You are uneasy about something.”

“Is sex something to be alarmed about?”

Death blinked at her and then sighed. “You are reaching the age of curiosity. Sex as an action is nothing to be alarmed about no. It is something to be cautious about.”

“Why?”

“It isn’t careless like others like to think it is.” He stared at her with old eyes. “Many women have had sex with the gods and many men have had sex with the goddesses and many heroes have come from such unions. Many abandoned mortals left to raise these heroes alone…sex is dangerous to the body and the mind and the heart. Sex is more than an act. More than just an action. It  _ can _ be just an action, once a person is…well used to the act, but fresh and young as you are…you must careful. For sex unifies…it brings two people tightly together, inexplicably entwined. The Spartans viewed sex as binding in marriage because no person could ever get closer to another than through sex…”

“What you’re saying is that it’s easy to lose one’s priorities and emotions after sex?”

“Before the action, many would say it would be a fling, and then after, yes, at least one of the two involved would think it much more than just physical sensations. Sex is a possible gateway to emotional damage, and that’s leaving out completely the dangers of diseases and pregnancy.” Death stared at his ward. “Why are you even asking so intently?”

“I’m confused. I thought Grindelwald and I were enemies, to try and kill each other. Now, just this evening, he flirted with me, intently. His eyes were like Tom’s…I don’t know what to think anymore.” She turned over and exhaled into her pillow.

Standing up, the being stared sadly at the young woman. “He will try to seduce you.”

“Why?”

“Sex is emotionally binding to those who are not used to the emotional backlash given.”

“He wants to bind me to him?”

“It would be simpler than fighting you, wouldn’t it?”

“True…”

“Be careful Harriet. Grindelwald has a silver tongue and a pretty face. He is far older than you and knows every trick in the book about pretty speeches and emotional manipulation.” Death knew that his apprentice wasn’t open minded towards such human behaviors as others were, but still, she was able to learn emotions and…this was troubling.

“I’ll be careful.”

Death stared at her some more and then deemed his ward not quite ready to hold her own against…this form of attack. He would have to watch over her much closer than before until she was more…worldly wise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayiieeeee~ What have I done?  
> Ink...  
> PS, do any of you guys like Star Wars legends?
> 
> Here's the link for Harry's dress as described in this chapter:   
> https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://image.dhgate.com/0x0/f2/albu/g4/M01/73/79/rBVaEFm8gxeAbjLaAANuUjPKfVU048.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.dhgate.com/product/vintage-black-and-red-victorian-gothic-masquerade/404726736.html&h=1000&w=1000&tbnid=b23_JBsRwSZLfM&tbnh=225&tbnw=225&usg=AI4_-kSWm_2MogqnY3TtbPPfGCTwjqp0JA&vet=1&docid=RXSSzctobiJz8M


	16. Christmas in the Country

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Like it says on the tin. Harry has a merry Christmas. ; D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all you guys! Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments!  
> I love reading your feedback and answering your questions, so thank you!  
> Ink...
> 
> PS  
> Also, for those of you who are worried about this turn of events with Gellert and Harry, don't worry.   
> This story will never truly be romance centric. Pairings, angst, and love triangles won't take the forefront.   
> Anything that happens to anybody is purely for plot purposes. There will always be 80% plot and 20% romance (if even that).
> 
> Thank you for reading!

Breakfast with Albus went as well as could be expected. Harry didn’t tell him about Grindelwald’s…strange behavior last night. Harry had long since convinced herself that he was just talking through his hat and hadn’t meant a word, only meaning to knock her off balance so he could steal her prey out from under her. 

That was all. Just a useless game of cat and mouse. They had played it before.

Harry smiled at Albus as she finished her report. “Grindelwald was there, as you thought he would be, but he will find that  _ that _ man will not be convinced by magic or words.” Harry smirked. “Nor will others who I met at that party.”

Breathing out in relief, Albus poured them both some tea. “Thank Merlin for that. Now, are you planning on attending the Christmas party with the Weasleys?”

“I am, but I’m going to have Christmas lunch with Sirius and Remus first and then summon my mother and father so they can spend time together there also. After that, I’ll go over to the Weasleys for dinner. You?”

“My brother and I have long since ceased to celebrate it with gifts, but…” He gestured to the tree. “I still get many gifts every year, and I must give gifts every year as well. Speaking of which, this is yours.”

Harry laughed and then conjured her gift to him. “And this is yours.” Albus grinned.

They both opened their gifts and smiled. Albus had given Harry a beautifully done portrait of her Necromancy class and herself. He had drawn it from memory since none of them had ever posed for anything. On top of that, he had also given her a small book he had written explaining the art of Soul Hallucinations. She had forgotten to ask him further about that.

“Harriet, thank you…” Albus smiled at her as he took in the beautiful bone dagger that she had made for him. The handle was carved like the head, body, and wings of a phoenix while the tail feathers tapered into the actual dagger made of bone. Harry had seen it in her nightly travels around the world and had thought immediately of him. She didn’t tell Albus what it was made of, or how it came to be.

“Be very careful with that, Albus, and it cannot work permanently on other Masters, but I have a feeling you’ll be needing it sooner or later.” She pressed her lips together tightly. He nodded and then continued to examine the exquisite beauty of the lethal blade. 

“What does it do?”

“One nick will cause the body to slowly disintegrate from that spot, until only a skeleton is left, and still the person is alive and in agony. Then, the skeleton turns to dust and the soul is banished to the Underworld. For a normal person, they can’t do anything while their body dissolves around them, except scream. For a  _ Master _ , they would still be able to practice magic even as their body vanishes. It would take about a week for the body to reform after that though, so you  _ could _ use it on him, if you think you can stomach the pain it would bring. Once a cut has been made, the dagger’s curse cannot be undone. It’s as final as a Killing Curse.”

Albus grimaced. “Indeed…” He slipped the dagger into the sheath and put it away. “Thank you.”

With her report done and gift given, Harry smiled and vanished back to her home just in time to stop Sirius from peeking under the tree.

“Sirius, behave.” Harry grinned at him and then gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. “How are you?”

He smiled faintly. “Re-learning everything keeps my mind off things…but…he has my name. Why hasn’t he used it?” There was a panicky gleam in Sirius’ eyes. 

“He doesn’t like relying on magic when he could win a person over with words. It seems like cheating to him.” Harry had picked that up from last night. “He likes winning a person over and giving them no excuse when they realize their actions later. He wants them to fall for him and his goals completely and wholly on their own free will. He only does what he did to you when he has no other alternative.”

“Shit. Well, that won’t happen to me again.” Sirius’ eyes darkened. “I’m never going back to him.”

“I know, Sirius.” She hugged him tightly. “I love you so much…I’m so glad that you were there for me.”

“Me too, Harry. Me too.”

They did away with the serious conversation and then managed to coax Remus into swimming with them. 

Sirius turned into Padfoot and started doing the doggie paddle around the pool. Harry laughed and raced him and Remus. 

When lunch finally came, they dried, washed, and changed and then tromped down the stairs. Sirius frowned at the lunch table. “That’s a strange tablecloth.”

“Haven’t taught you rituals yet, so you wouldn’t recognize it.” Harry grinned at him and then activated the array of symbols and words. Out popped James and Lily, who beamed.

“Merry Christmas!” 

Sirius whooped. “Prongs!”

“Moony! Padfoot!” 

“Hey Red!” Sirius winked at Lily, who stuck her tongue out at him. 

“Shut up, Mutt!”

“No, no, you’re supposed to call me Black. You know, colors!” Sirius sat down next to James and smirked as Lily rolled her eyes. Remus smiled and sat next to Lily. The living started eating, while the dead listened to everything. 

Harry looked up when Remus said Petunia’s name. “Your sister is safe in America now. Draco Malfoy saw them traveling out of England when he was doing errands for his mother.”

“That’s…good.” Lily’s smile was strained and then she glanced at Sirius before speaking quietly. “I’m glad that you’re here for my little girl.” Lily’s smile widened into something more genuine. “She told me about you telling her about…adult maturity.”

Choking on his juice, Remus gave her a pained look. “Something I never want to repeat ever.”

Sirius barked a laugh, having overheard that last part. “Come on, it wasn’t that bad!”

“Wasn’t that bad? Sirius, need I remind you that you acted like your foot was caught in a bear trap?” James burst out laughing, and both Remus and Sirius froze, listening to the sound that they hadn’t heard in over a decade. Sirius broke into a really wide grin and then jumped up. 

“PRESENTS!”

Remus rolled his eyes and then let his friend do it because they had a limited time with James and Lily. Harry laughed and began helping Sirius sort through the gifts, knowing that there were some that her dad had asked her to buy for him. Lily too. 

With his pile of tributes, er presents, Sirius promptly began opening his first, James was snickering at Remus’ look of exasperation. They had gone through this every Christmas in Hogwarts as students.

Sirius first opened James’ gift and groaned when he realized it was a porn magazine. Harry cleared her throat. “I had to ask Pops to get it for me.” Lily glowered at her husband for asking their daughter to buy a porno. James gave her an innocent look. 

Opening the next gift from his oldest friend, Sirius then promptly chucked the box of extra small condoms at James and laughed when it sailed straight through. “That’s not a bad idea. Nose next! Yes! Now, I’ll dunk one through the left eye!”

Sirius started throwing grapes through James’ left eye. “Sirius! Don’t you dare! Stop it! Stop!” 

“Ahem.” Harriet was immensely envious of her mother’s ability to hold control over a court of marauders. Lily eyed the group as though she was queen. “Sirius…continue with the gifts.”

Sheepishly, Sirius continued onto Remus’ gift. It was a stack of brochures from ring shops and different ads for churches showing off perfect wedding spots. Sirius was completely red in the face. James frowned. 

“What?”

“Oh!” Harry laughed. “I didn’t tell you! I can’t believe I didn’t tell you! Sirius is dating Karina Zabini. Has been courting her pretty seriously for the past couple years!”

James gaped. “Sirius Black, the Heartbreaker of Hogwarts, is getting tangled by a woman’s wiles?! What witchcraft is this?!” He clutched at his chest. Remus was snickering. 

“You should have seen him when he was pining after her. He was stealing my name, Moony.” Remus grinned at Sirius, who’s glare was a warning.

Giggling, Harry spoke up. “He’s so completely besotted with her. He doodles hearts in his Necromancy notebook!”

“Shut up!” Sirius was now completely red faced. Lily covered her smile and then cleared her face. 

“Sirius, open mine.”

He huffed but did as asked. He blinked widely at the engagement ring. “Lily…it’s…”

“I knew you were interested in Karina Zabini. I wanted you to have my grandmother’s engagement ring since I know Euphemia’s will be Harriet’s when she plans her own wedding, whenever that will be. This one can go to you.” She smiled softly at a touched and teary Sirius. 

“How?!” Harry gaped at her. 

“I have my ways.”

James snorted. “She reads your diary. You left it in the Underworld again.”

“MUM!” Staring at her mum in complete shock, Harry could  _ not _ believe that her mother would…of  _ all _ the…

Looking slightly sheepish, Lily waved her hand. “I didn’t know it was your diary! I thought it was an adventure novel.” Sirius barked a laugh, and Remus choked on his juice yet again.

Sulking, Harry summoned her diary and sent it to her bedroom. “Honestly! No respect for privacy!”

James winked at her. “Relax. She stopped halfway and told me there weren’t enough juicy things in it.”

“JAMES CHARLUS POTTER!”

Wincing, James raised his hands and tried to defend himself against his wife’s attacks. Sirius exhaled and grinned. “There they go again. James never thinks about his words before saying them.”

“I know.” Harry snorted. “He started lecturing me about cavorting with Tom Riddle when I was eleven, something about how he wouldn’t allow me to marry the snake heir.”

Sirius frowned. “But you’re gonna have a winter wedding.” 

Both James and Lily froze just as Harry did. Harry smiled widely, with panic in her eyes. “That’s not decided yet! Presents! Sirius this is from Remus and myself! Open it. NOW!”

Chuckling, Remus started whispering to James and Lily everything that Harry had conveniently forgotten to tell them. 

Meanwhile, Sirius apologetically took the gift and unwrapped it. It was a sweater that Remus had knitted himself. Very nicely done too. Harry had worked hard on the matching scarf which was…crooked, but warm.

Remus was next up with the gifts. His were much faster. James had gotten him a plain white mug with the word on it, 

_ ‘In my defense,  _

_ the moon was full,  _

_ and I was left unsupervised.’ _

Sirius roared with laughter at that one. 

From Lily, he got an  _ incredibly  _ fuzzy and soft sweater made of mohair, dyed dark grey, that had a message stitched into the front, 

_ ‘I have a furry problem’ _

Remus rested his forehead against the table top as everyone started laughing. From Harry herself, he was given a beautiful vest made of dragon scales that could deflect even the Killing Curse (since the Killing Curse didn’t work on dragons).

He beamed at her widely. “Thank you, Harriet.”

“You better use it all the time.” Harry reached for another roll of sweet bread.

Sirius frowned slowly. “When are you heading out again?”

“Next week. I’m heading back to South America to check on things there. Rumor has it Grindelwald wants Brazil.”

“Probably for the coffee there.” Harry hummed and then sipped her own coffee before breaking open her gifts. 

Death appeared as she was hugging Sirius for his gift of two basilisk hide wand holsters. They could be attached to her thighs or back or arms, anywhere. Remus had given her a beautiful set of throwing knives made from blued steel and tempered with magic to always return to their sheaths. Clean.

“Death!” Harry smiled at him, and then even wider when he gave her his own gift. When it left his grasp, it appeared in front of Sirius and Remus, but Lily and James had been able to see it the whole time. Hurriedly, she opened it and gasped. It was a beautiful dreamcatcher. A massive one. 

“I had the Fates weave it for you. It is made similarly to that of Dumbledore’s, but personal to your own magic.”

She knew what he was preparing for. Grindelwald attacking her dreams and soul like he was doing to Albus. Her smile dimmed, but she still gave him a tight hug. Sirius huffed.

“To me it looks like she’s hugging air. Really strange. Hello Lord Death, would you care for drink and food?”

Harry looked at the being. He smiled. “I wouldn’t mind.” She beamed. 

“He said he wouldn’t mind.” She poured him a glass and then handed it off. The glass vanished the moment he picked it from her hand. Remus blinked rapidly at that. This was a whole other level of odd, even for magic users.

James and Lily grinned at Harry as they looked over the dreamcatcher. It was about a foot in diameter and about three feet in length. 

“It’s beautiful!” Lily played with a feather and then set it aside. Things that originated from the Underworld the ghosts could always touch. It was strange, but that was the way things were.

Harry grinned at her family. Christmas together. This was all the gift she could need or want. Her family together again.


	17. A Very Weasley Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blaise begs. Harry makes a decision. And Scrimgeour makes a proposition.   
> Tom is stunned.  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> This is it. The moment everyone has been waiting for in eagerness and/or dread.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I FORGOT TO UPDATE EARLIER!   
> *dying noises of abject misery  
> Ink...

Suddenly the floo lit up. Harry waved her parents to sit down. “Karina and Blaise.”

Blaise raced out with a wide grin on his face and then out came a large and sleek black German Shepherd. Sirius yelped when it leaped onto his lap and shifted into Karina.

“I completed the ritual!”

Beaming from ear to ear, Sirius laughed, “You’re a black dog too?!”

Blaise went still as something came to him. He bleated out in a completely un-pureblood way, “Don’t give me pup siblings!”

Everyone kind of faltered at that. Sirius had a funny look on his face. Karina was completely red and had hid her face in his shoulder.

James was thoughtful. “Is that even possible?”

Also curious, Remus hummed. “I don’t really know…makes me want to research it.”

Clearing his throat, Sirius positioned Karina onto the seat next to his, and then quickly introduced the love of his life to his best friend. “This is James and Lily Potter, Harry’s parents. James is my best friend. He’s who we called Prongs when we were younger. James, Lily, this is Karina Zabini, my fiancée.”

Standing, Karina willed her blush to leave. “It is a great pleasure to meet you at last, Lord and Lady Potter. This is my son, Blaise Zabini.”

Both ghosts stood and nodded to them. “Welcome, and Merry Christmas.” Lily smiled at them. 

Blaise bowed and then handed Harry her gift from him and his mum. It was a beautifully restored and preserved edition of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Harry gave him a tight hug for that and then gave him and his mother each a scythe. 

Grinning like a loon, Blaise hefted it up slowly. “You’re going to teach us?!”

“Of course. Sirius is going to learn also.” Harry winked at them. “But don’t tell Albus and Severus and Aberforth. They aren’t to know.”

Karina studied her scythe and then looked at Harry. “Why not?”

“Because Albus and Aberforth are not Death’s lieutenants. And Severus can’t afford to be caught with one. You two can play offensive all you want and make Grindelwald’s life a living hell.” 

Chuckling now, Blaise nodded. “But to tell them would merely sow ill content, so we’d be doing them a favor not to tell them on such a fine day. It would spoil their Christmas.” He grinned slyly.

Harry rolled her eyes as Karina nodded sagely. “Exactly right, my son.” Sirius snickered.

~four hours later~

Harry found herself in the Weasley kitchen helping Ron chop vegetables while the twins heckled them. Harry simply raised her hand and then wandlessly started dicing the ingredients. Ron bit his lip and screwed up his face but managed to roughly chop up a carrot without his wand.

The twins were gaping. “WHAT?!”

Ron grinned. “Besides taking me to Thailand and LA and other places, Harry’s also been keeping up DAM.”

“Language, Ronald Weasley!” Molly bustled in and then started ordering them to do other things and then bustled out. Harry looked at Fred and George before bursting into laughter. Ron sniffed and then continued.

“Anyways, Harry’s been teaching us more about wandless magic and wordless spells. Since Snape’s our new DADA prof, Harry’s really saved a lot of lions some troubles, especially Neville.”

The twins looked envious for a moment and then were grinning and patting Ron on the head for ‘still learning’ before skipping off the village. Harry rolled her eyes. 

“Don’t sweat it, Ron. They were jealous. They don’t want you to know. You’re the little brother.” 

Tom entered the kitchen and then started tossing the salad. Ron snorted and then looked at his brother. “What would you be doing for Christmas at that place?” None of the Weasleys ever said ‘orphanage’ or ‘Wools’. They always said ‘that place’. Tom appreciated it.

Harry looked over at Tom with curiosity. He snorted. “We’d all be dressed in our best grey attire, the place would be open for adults to peruse the goods to be taken home, and all the leftovers would be tossed in the proverbial trash. Every year.”

“That’s hell.” Ron snorted darkly. “Glad you’re here with us, Tom.” He turned and went out to set the table. Tom was frozen slightly. Harry smiled at her friend. He still found it a challenge to accept that he was accepted.

“You have a family now.” She frowned and then nudged him. “Have you ever summoned your mum by the way? I didn’t ask cause I didn’t want to push-”

“No…” He would look at her. “I haven’t…” He snorted. “I’ve summoned Salazar Slytherin though.” He grinned at her. Harry stared at him with eager eyes.

“And?”

“We talked about the old world, about Necromancy. He was against me learning it. Violently against me, kinda put a damper on the rest of our conversation.”

“The four founders were biased against it because of the devastating war with Morgana. Even Merlin hated it after that. Hogwarts was founded to distract the next generation away from the growing popularity of Necromancy. When did you last talk?”

“Last month…” He snorted. “I told him all about  _ you _ . Except, you know, the Necromancy bits. He’s completely on my side for marrying you. The power our merged lines would have nearly made him smile.” His own lips were curving into a faint smile. “Also, his lips almost twitched into a smile when I told him about my mother merging the two bloodlines of his house back together again.”

“Ah, so he’s like Snape in mentality?”

“Oh yeah.”

They shared a laugh and continued in their kitchen duties. Ron came back inside and sighed softly. Tom nudged him and then nodded to Harry. Ron furrowed his brows and shook his head wildly. Tom rolled his eyes and gave him an intense look. 

“Boys, I can practically smell the rising tension. What’s going on?” Harry turned around, still holding the meat cleaver. Her eyes were glinting with curiosity. Ron smiled weakly and then swallowed.

“Do you think Hermione likes me?” He flushed at the infantile question. He hadn’t meant it to come out that way.

“I thought you were with Lav Lav?” She set the knife down and swiftly sliced the rest of the meat up with her shadows while Tom kept a look out for Mother Weasley. 

Ron winced. “I am, but I mean…I only went with Lav because…it’s hard to say no to her…she…it’s like she’s addicted to my lips! I can barely breathe when she’s in the same room!” Tom’s shoulders were shaking from his silent laughter. Ron shoved him slightly, glowering, before turning back to Harry. 

Sighing, Harry nodded. “Hermione likes you. She really does. I can see her soul, and yours…you two could have something wonderful, Ron, but only if you risk everything and just ask her.”

Ron swallowed and then looked down. “She only likes what she knows about me…” With that rather enigmatic response, he took Tom’s salad bowl and walked out with it. 

Blinking slowly, Harry turned and looked at Tom. “What gives?”

“Can’t tell you. Sorry. Ron made me promise it secret.” Tom’s eye roll told Harry that it wasn’t half so dramatic as Ron was making it out to be. She snorted. 

“I hope those two get on with it. My headaches are beginning to have headaches.” Tom laughed softly and then reached past Harry for the bread knife. His aftershave smelled nice.

She blinked rapidly and turned back to her task of preparing the meat. Molly Weasley walked into the kitchen again, and their strange moment of tense harmony vanished. 

Harry could feel Tom’s eyes on her as she walked out of the kitchen to set the table with Ron.

After dinner- which seemed to become increasingly awkward for Sirius since Tonks was on one side while Remus was on his other side (poor man)- they all settled around the front room and listened to truly horrible Christmas love songs. Harry winced and wished for Bing Crosby and another of Remus’ favorites, Nat King Cole.

Even Sirius’ rock music was preferable to this.

She conjured earplugs and discreetly slipped them into her ears. Tom eyed her with envy before smiling winningly at Molly when she looked over at him. Ginny snickered softly into her fist. 

When it was over- much to Fleur’s needlessly loud gratitude (though Harry silently agreed with her)- they moved to get a nightcap and then off to bed. Harry was planning on heading back with Remus and Sirius that evening, even though Ginny, Ron, and Tom wanted her to spend the night.

Tom went up to bed immediately after Fleur started crooning  _ My Cauldron’s Full of Hot, Strong Love _ at Bill. The look on Mother Weasley’s face was enough to probably scare even the Dark Lord away. 

He was woken up far too early in the morning by Ron’s exclamation. “What’s that?” Tom lit up a ball of friendfyre wandlessly. It illuminated the room. He stared at the gaudy necklace and promptly lost grip on the spell in his mirth. “Nice! Classy! You should definitely wear it in front of Fred and George.”

“If you tell them, then I- I- I’ll-”

“Stutter at me?” Tom smirked at him in the darkness. “Go on, I wouldn’t tell them. Still need to get back at them for that jinxed hair brush. Took me hours to regrow my hair.” Tom smiled darkly as plans came to mind. Ron shivered at the look before turning back the necklace with  _ My Sweetheart _ on it.

“What is she thinking?”

“She’s a bimbo. She wasn’t thinking. Go to bed.” Tom grunted and fell back onto his own bed.

“Aren’t you gonna look into your stocking?”

“Ergh. I’m too tired...”

“Go on.”

Tom groaned but opened his stocking and poured out the contents. He sifted through it and then blinked at a gift from Harry that she hadn’t given him last night.

It was a velvet box.

Opening it with strangely numb fingers, he saw a beautiful silver ring of a serpent with emerald eyes eating its tail.  _ An ouroboros _ his mind supplied, but he was already gently pulling out the message curled up inside the ring. 

_ ‘Tom,  _

_ I’ve dangled myself long enough.  _

_ I’m not sorry for making you wait, but I believe that I’m ready now. _

_ Even now I can’t say I love you, but I can say that I am willing to learn how to love. _

_ Thank you for your patience, _

_ Your Harriet.’ _

Ron stared at Tom in wariness. Nothing  _ good  _ ever made Tom that stunned and pale looking.

“Erm, Tom? Are you okay?”

Blinking rapidly, Tom stared at Ron and then felt his face split into a beaming smile. “Am I reading this correctly?” He shoved the note into Ron’s face before grabbing the ring and slipping it onto his ring finger on his left hand, keeping the Gaunt ring on his right.

“Damn…sounds to me like she’s willing to become your girlfriend.” Ron grinned at his brother. “Congrats!”

Knowing his face was holding the silliest, sappiest grin in the world, Tom could not bring himself to care. Harry was willing to let him date her. Willing to let him love her and teach her how to love. Tom couldn’t sleep for the rest of the night.

By the time it was the day after Christmas, Tom couldn’t wait to get over to Harry’s manor and…and kiss her. Hold her…

“Mate, relax. You completely ignored our Mum.”

“What’d she say?” Tom adjusted a dozing Nagini.

“She said that Harry is coming over again for breakfast since Sirius kicked her out of the manor so he could be with Karina.” Ron smirked when Tom rushed upstairs to get ready. “Never thought he could be so sappy.”

It so happened that about ten minutes after Harry apparated to the Burrough, so too did Percy Weasley and the Minister.

Tom hadn’t even gotten a chance to hug her when the Minister asked Miss Potter to come outside with him. Harry winked at the others and motioned for them to stay put. Tom glowered at the door and then switched targets and glared darkly at Percy, who had made the only woman Tom truly cared about cry herself to sleep for two weeks. Molly Weasley had done everything for Tom, and Tom did not appreciate Percy trampling on the woman’s feelings just for power. 

Tom understood gaining power, but he was fully planning on doing it with the family’s blessing and good graces. Percy was a troll for what he did, betraying Harry and his family all in one go and then still refusing to admit fault. 

Even Slytherin himself, Tom knew, believed in admitting one’s faults in order to gain trust and forgiveness. A person couldn’t get anywhere if grudges and burned bridges blocked his way.

Never burn a bridge. 

Never.


	18. Fire, Fire Burning Bright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gellert sees Tom and raises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm such a bad person... ; D (completely unrepentant)   
> Ink...
> 
> PS.  
> Oh! And the summary is a Poker phrase. Seeing and Raising. It's where the phrase 'upping the ante' came from.

Meanwhile, Harry was trying very hard not to cut the man to ribbons. She looked at Scrimgeour and then sighed. “Minister, I will be very blunt. The last person who didn’t follow Albus Dumbledore’s advice was kicked out of office. The person before that, ended up dead. You are a good man, and a brave wizard. I understand your intention of protecting our country, but don’t you think that the time for peace is a little past?” Harry looked at him, glad once again that she wasn’t a hothead. Her anger issues had been tempered by Death enormously.

She chuckled softly and knocked some snow off a plant. “As for what you say about Dumbledore trying to stop you from talking to me, I’m rather touched. I hadn’t known he cared so much to go so out of his way when he knows I can take care of myself.” She laughed and then looked at the suddenly uncomfortable man. “Minister, as I said before, I understand what you want to accomplish, but I cannot do as you ask. You see, I cannot endorse the Ministry that only last year performed a smear campaign on me so thick I’m still washing the mud out of my hair.”

Scrimgeour hid his grimace. “I see your point, Miss Potter, but that was a Ministry under Fudge’s control-”

“And I’ve been watching you and what you’re doing. You’ve done a lot. Arresting some bad people, and… _ good _ people as well. Honestly  _ Shunpike _ ? Even you could tell he was just a braggart trying to score some lady in a pub.” She waved off his offense. “I’m not trying to pick a fight, Minister. I’m just telling you that I cannot endorse the Ministry when we are in disagreement. I want you to raise an army. Aurors should be training for battle now. The time for caution is gone. We missed that window with Fudge. Please do not allow us to miss war preparation with you!”  Harry stepped back from the increasingly angry man. “I cannot endorse a Ministry I do not agree with. I am sorry. Thank you for what you are doing, but it will not be enough. Have a merry Christmas, Minister.” 

Growling, Rufus Scrimgeour glared at her. “Dumbledore’s girl through and through, aren’t you, Potter?”

“Yes. I am.” Her smile was sweet. “Glad we sorted that out.” She slipped back into the house and pulled Tom under the mistletoe and kissed him. Everyone (except Percy and Rufus) cheered and saluted them with leftover eggnog.

Sliding his hands around her waist, Tom pulled her closer and closed his eyes. Her lips against his…this was what he had been dreaming about since he was in third year!

When they finally parted, Harry was panting softly and smiling shyly up at him. “Hello.”

He laughed and then kissed her softly again. “Hello.”

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and eating leftover Christmas dinner and watching Tom and Harry dance this new dance of sexual tension. Ron was glum about something or other, but to Tom nothing mattered in the world except Harry being in his arms.  Nagini wrapped herself around their shoulders, forcing them to walk side by side a lot, and making Harry laugh whenever Nagini refused to unwind and therefore clotheslined them when they parted ways, forgetting about the snake.

Harry gave Tom another soft kiss before bidding goodnight to everyone and going home.

It was only Tom’s distracted thoughts that caused him to miss two magical signatures hiding in the tall grass outside the Burrow. 

It was Bellatrix Lestrange and Greyback. And they struck hard and fast. Tom woke up to Molly screaming for her children. Ron and he grabbed as many things as they could find, skipping clothes and heading straight for the truly valuable items. The fire reached their level, and Ron dragged Tom out before he could grab his ring from Harry off the dresser. They rushed outside while Bill, Charlie, and Arthur started extinguishing the flames. Tom immediately helped them. 

There was a screaming laugh as Bellatrix waved at them all. Tom snarled and charged after her into the grass. Arthur yelled at him to come back, so did Molly, but Tom wanted to make this bitch  _ hurt _ .

Silently, he snapped his wand up and transfigured all the grass into snakes. Bellatrix screamed in pain when she was bitten several times over. Turning fast, Tom moved his wand in a fluid motion, linking all the spells together in a strange sort of dance, mind silently casting the spells through the wand swiftly and perfectly. 

_ Confringo! Defodio! Everte Statum! Langlock! Sectumsempra!  _

At that last one, Greyback screamed as seven deep cuts split his skin. Bellatrix was half on fire and laughing as she burned, but both she and the werewolf vanished before Tom could finish them off. Tom snarled but hurried back to help control the now normal fire now that the two were no longer there to urge the fiendfyre on.

Ron looked sick with rage. Ginny was covered in soot and actually crying. Arthur looked in shock when they surveyed the wreckage that was their home. By the time the Burrow was deemed safe to enter again, it was nearing the morning hours. Tom walked gingerly up the stairs and looked at his room. Ron looked over his shoulder.

“Those bastards…” They entered their room. Ron fingered the ruins of his first tux from fourth year and his destroyed Firebolt that he hadn’t had the chance to save from the fiendfyre. 

Tom looked at the half melted picture frame that held him and Harry in their first magical photo. He swallowed as he looked at his photo self crying over the destroy photo Harriet. Tom punched the vanity table. “Come on. Tell the family that we’re going to Riddle Manor. It’s cleaned and renovated now. We can stay there until this place is fixed up.”

“Thanks mate. I’ll…I’ll tell them.” Ron walked out of their room in a daze. Tom couldn’t tear his gaze away from his screaming picture self.

Ginny’s soft hand snapped him out of it. “The safe’s untouched. Our papers and such are good. Mum’s silverware is melted though.”

“Wedding silver.”

“Yeah.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah…”

“You?”

“Didn’t save my diary in time.” She smiled grimly. “Nothing much in it anyways. Um, textbooks are all gone. School robes too.”

“Ron’s and mine also. I’ll pay for the loss. I’ve got more than enough to take care of my family.” Ginny melted against him. 

“I’m scared.”

“I’m angry.”

“You’re always angry.” She laughed faintly. He wrapped an arm around her waist. “It’ll be fine, right Tom?”

“Yes, Gin. In the long run, it’ll be fine.” She sighed against him, not believing him but happy to hear him say the words nonetheless.

They packed up all their things- the twins had left earlier and still weren’t aware- Fleur was silent but still helped pack the things that had made it through the fire. She spoke up to Molly Weasley. “I know a good silversmith…’ee can repair your silverware…”

Sniffling, Molly nodded to her. “Thank you.”

They found the car and Arthur’s garage of Muggle things completely destroyed, so they apparated their things and themselves to Riddle Manor only to stare in horror as they watched it in flames. 

Tom stepped closer and then shot water out of his wand. Quickly, the others joined him and put out the fire. Nagini was coiled tightly around her master, the cold biting into her scales. Tom stared at his ancestral home and swallowed. 

Arthur cleared his throat. “Grimmauld then. I don’t think we have…any other place…to go now.”

“Go on…I’ll check the damage.” Tom stepped through the graveyard. Ginny ran after him. 

“I’ll help.” She nodded to her family. They grabbed their things and disapparated.

They went through the house and didn’t say a word when they saw the caretaker, Frank, lying dead on the driveway. Killing Curse. 

“Touch nothing…the police will find this in the morning. They’ll inform me, and I’ll act surprised. It’s the best thing to do.”

“Right.” He took her hand and then apparated to Grimmauld Place. When he arrived, Harry was in his arms immediately. 

“I’ll kill them.”

He felt his arms wrap around her body and hold her tightly. “Lost your ring in the fire. Sorry.”

“S’alright, Tom.” She sniffed and looked at him. “Just a ring. I’ll get you another one. We can get matching ones even. The sentiment is still there.” She touched his face lightly and then quickly took over and dismissed Kreacher. “Unfortunately I can’t get rid of Kreacher, but if you have need of anything, then feel free to call on Pops. He’s got a pretty empty schedule and would love to help you in anything you need. I’ve already informed Sirius, and he’s working on hiring goblins to repair the Burrow and the Manor. Don’t argue, you can pay us back with hugs.” She clapped her hands and then called, “Pops!”

The Elf popped up and bowed to her. “Mistress?”

“These are the Weasleys. They are dear friends of mine, and I want you to listen and obey whatever they ask for. Okay?”

“Yes Mistress. Pops is eager and willing to take over  _ Kreacher’s _ failings.” Pops smiled slyly at the older Elf peeking around the corner of the room. Kreacher hissed at him for working with blood traitors, but Pops continued on as if the other Elf didn’t exist. “Pops will be proud to serve his Mistress, for she is good and kind no matter what her  _ blood _ may be!” He bowed again.

Harry covered her smile and nodded to Pops. “Thank you. Take their things to their rooms. Arthur and Molly will take the master bedroom, and make sure that the…other one stays away from them.”

Pops grimaced. “I will obey, Mistress, and protect your friends from him.” He swiftly vanished the meager belongings to the proper rooms and then began guiding the family members to their rooms. Ron and Ginny were mostly silent. Tom looked at her, and she nodded for him to go on. 

“I have some things to say to Kreacher.”

He snorted and then grabbed her hand. “Let me know when you go.” She squeezed his hand and nodded.

“Of course.” She nodded to the parents and then watched them go off. Fleur covered her cheeks with kisses, and even Bill gave her a grateful hug. Harry smiled at them sadly as they walked away. Turning to Kreacher, she glowered. “Kreacher, this is an order. You will not harm anyone within this house. You will not touch what does not belong to the House of Black. You will not curse any item in this house for any reason with any spell. You are not to argue or fight Pops in anything he says and does. If you have a request or a complaint that has  _ nothing _ to do with blood traitors or mudbloods, then you will make a note of it and send it to me. Do you understand?”

Kreacher scowled and nodded.

“You are not to trick, lie to, or speak rudely to the occupants of this house. You are not allowed to damage anything in this house or let anyone into this house without the express permission of Arthur or Molly Weasley. Do you understand?”

He nodded again.

“Good. You may go to your room.” The Elf glowered at her and then skulked away.

“Firm hand. I approve.”

Turning, she smiled at Sirius tiredly. “What’ve you learned?”

“Bellatrix and Greyback attacked the Burrow. The Carrow siblings attacked the Manor. Rabastan Lestrange also tried to attack Draco Malfoy’s manor, but Draco was there with Theo and others, and they were able to beat him back quite thoroughly.”

“Well, this winter is ending with a nasty turn.”

“We assumed this sort of thing would happen. Scare tactics towards those who can’t be turned away by silver words.” Sirius scowled darkly. Harry nodded slowly.

“Yeah, but thinking it’s going to happen and seeing it happening are completely different somehow.”

“Know what you mean. Well, the family is settled in as best as they can be. I’m sending Nina and Tabitha off tomorrow to stock the kitchen and get some clothes for them. The goblins say that the Burrow and the Manor will be repaired by next month, good as new.”

“That’s good news at least.” Harry rubbed her face and then gave her godfather another tight hug. “Sleep well.” 

“See you soon, Harry.” He kissed her forehead and then left through his newly re-learned shadow traveling. She smiled at him in pride. He was really learning quickly.

Slipping up the stairs via her shadows, Harry didn’t touch the wood and instead had her shadows float her up. The portraits gaped at her. She winked at them and placed her finger on her lips before alighting on the landing and knocking on Tom’s door. He opened it and smiled at her, pulling her into a kiss.

“Tom…I’m sorry about this-” 

“You have a strange guilt issue, Harry. Our alliance to you is not your fault, but our choice. Their attacking us is not your fault but their choice. Cause and effect does not equate total responsibility.” He smiled at her and then lightly nuzzled her neck. “I love this…holding you.”

“How are you?”

“Still in shock. It’ll wear off into rage. Don’t worry.”

“Now I’m worried.” He chuckled again and pressed her against the doorframe and pulled her into another kiss, his dark eyes glittering. 

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she hummed against his mouth and felt his body press fully against hers. “Look at us…” She blinked at him. He smiled and continued. “We’ve grown up so quickly…”

“Doesn’t feel like it to me.”

“Well, true, but we’re sixteen…just a few months from turning seventeen.”

She smiled at him and then sighed. “I’d better leave now.”

“I don’t want you to.”

“I know.” She laughed faintly. “But you need sleep, and I need to tell Albus about this…situation.”

He frowned. “Since when do you call him by his first name?”

Internally, Harry cursed. “Since…we started war planning together. He knows about my skills and hasn’t reported me.”

Tom narrowed his eyes at her but let it slide. He kissed her lightly and then stepped back into his room. “Stay safe.”

“You as well.” She smiled at him sadly and then vanished in shadows. Tom gave the portraits a warning look before closing the door to his room. 


	19. Dragon Riders?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gellert is a cold-hearted bastard. Albus has an idea. And Harry enjoys her newfound relationship with Tom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm alive! But I'm on spring break, so apologies for the massive delay in updating. ; D   
> I hope everyone is healthy during this problematic time with viruses.  
> Ink...

The next time Harry saw her friends, they were in school again. She kissed Tom in public in a greeting, showing everyone in school that she was taken by Tom Riddle and all the scheming love potion boys and girls better back off. Not that Tom needed to know about the love potion part. He wouldn’t react…nicely. Of that Harry was certain.

The Burrow and Manor were still in repair, and Grimmauld was turning into a nice place to stay for the Weasleys, especially for Arthur since it was unmappable. 

Tom was able to pay for all the school supplies that needed to be replaced. He had shut his mum up by stating he was part of their family and his money was theirs and their home was his. After that, she pulled him into a hug and cried into his chest (he was growing quite tall).

The twins had been told in the days after and they were still in shock about the blatant attack. Albus had told them that Grindelwald deemed them a threat, but even the headmaster looked confused about the random attack on the Weasleys. This scare tactic didn’t match his MO and Albus didn’t like it.

~meanwhile~

Gellert looked at Bellatrix with a sigh. She was still healing, but she would be quite well soon thanks to Severus’ potions. “And he slashed Greyback, hmm?” He looked at the werewolf who was still unconscious and then curled his lip. “Nasty person, this Greyback. Avada Kedavra.” A green flash and the werewolf died in his sleep. 

Severus paused in his ministrations to Bellatrix and stared at the Dark Lord for a moment before turning back to his work without a word.

Smirking, Gellert waved his hand slightly. “I know I can be quite ruthless, but honestly, I’m no different than Harriet. Tell me more about her, Severus.” Gellert poured them both some wine and sat down on his favorite sofa chair and looked at the sallow faced potion master.

Severus sipped his wine and took his seat across the man. “She is…powerful, as you well know. Her wit shows in the form of near insanity. She laughs at death, and didn’t seem at all phased by the cursed necklace that Parkinson gave her last.”

“Careless that.” Gellert tsked softly. “Perhaps I should rescind that order?”

“I will die.” Severus looked at his glass.

“Yes…pity Bellatrix insisted that happen. Pity I’m so changeable.” Gellert exhaled and then brightened. “There’s no time limit on that oath.” Gellert looked at Severus and chuckled. 

“You act as though you do not wish her dead, my lord.”

“Hmm…neither can live while the other survives…if  _ you _ are able to kill her then that proves the prophecy a farce.”

“Or that it’s already been completed. Did you not die and then come back when she was one?” Severus drank more of his wine. Gellert paused and then blinked at Severus. 

“Keep that up, Severus, and you will quickly surpass Evette as my favorite.” He smiled at the Seer who came into his sitting room. “Ah, Evette, we were just talking-”

“About me. You wanted me to do this five minutes from now.” She sat down and looked at the fire before casting a strange powder on it. Severus hated the smell, but she needed it to go into a sort of trance. Severus truly did believe that Evette was capable of Sight. Her visions had always been proven true and were too detailed to be faked. Plus the Dark Lord was not one to hire on a sham. Also, it helped that the Dark Lord too was a Seer. Seeing them collaborate on the future was a frightening thing.

“She will die at the end of this year, by his hand…but her danger and actions and threat to the Dark Lord will continue. Death will return her soul again.” Evette gave a tiny sneeze that even Severus had to admit was slightly adorable. The smoke passed through the open window, and her trance was done. “What did I say?”

“She will be brought back…” Gellert frowned. “Does this mean I am attracting the enmity of Death himself? Hmm, killing his apprentice would do that, I suppose.” He smirked suddenly. “Good thing I can’t stay dead.” With that, he stood up and finished his wine. “Thank you, Evette, you may rest now. I know how tiring Seeing can be.” The tall and willowy French lady smiled at him and then slipped out of the room again.

Severus stood along with Gellert. “What are my orders?”

“Go ahead with your oath, and temper Pansy’s…zealousness.” Gellert grimaced. “I have very little tolerance for insanity or neediness. If either Bellatrix or Pansy get out of hand, then kill them.”

“Yes, my lord.” Severus bowed to him and then left the house and disapparated to the shack that would take him to the portkey. He needed to tell Albus and Harriet about this reluctance on Grindelwald’s part to kill Harriet, and to tell them also about this new future.

He returned to school and moved to the headmaster’s side, during breakfast. The other teachers frowned at his sudden appearance and the strange heady smell that still hung around him.

Albus nodded after Severus was done pretending to whisper something to him while saying everything mentally. “Thank you, Severus. I’m sure you must be hungry.”

“I am not. I will prepare for classes instead.” Severus swept out of the hall and ignored his fellows and the students.

Standing up, Albus moved over to Draco in the hall and spoke to him. “Over break many of the students have spoken to their parents. You are completely set to apply for the vote. I do think you will win.” With a wink, Albus walked out of the Great Hall.

Draco grinned at Tom, who was staring at Harry. Blaise rolled his eyes, prompting Astoria to giggle.

Meanwhile, Albus stood frozen in the outside corridor as a thought struck him. He hurried to his office and penned a letter to Charlie Weasley. Romania still was untouched by Grindelwald, and while that remained, Albus needed this to happen immediately. 

_ ‘To Charlie Weasley, _

_ My dear boy, I must apologize for writing you without a proper introduction first, but needs must in times of war. I have a question and a possible request. I must admit that I know nothing about dragon training or the intelligence level of such magical creatures.  _

_ However, I must ask. Is it entirely possible to train dragons to be mounts for wizards and witches much like horses, griffins, or hippogriffs are? Because if that is possible, then could you find a way to train a flock of dragons for the future defense of the free world? _

_ Please write back soon so I may either put my dreams to rest, or so we may brainstorm on this idea further.  _

_ Thank you for you time, _

_ Albus Dumbledore’ _

Quickly, Albus dispatched his letter with Fawkes. “Don’t burn it this time, pet.”

Fawkes huffed at him and then vanished with a flash of light. Albus knew that his familiar would appear in a few seconds in Romania. He felt a little sorry for those who relied on owls.

A few minutes later Fawkes came back with a reply. Albus quickly fed his bird and read the letter.

_ ‘To Headmaster Dumbledore, _

_ I’m quite ashamed to say that this has never once occurred to me! _

_ Dragons are more temperamental than other magical creatures, but if taught from the egg, then I am absolutely certain they could be flown by a single rider who has won their loyalty and trust.  _

_ Dragons can’t talk, but they are incredibly intelligent, much like hippogriffs and have to be won over, almost courted in a way, for even tamers and breeders like myself to get near them. I deal quite a lot with wild rescued dragons and such, but many times we have eggs in the hatchery that are raised in safety instead of the wilds where Muggles could happen upon them. But I’m rambling.  _

_ Yes, they can be ridden, and yes, they are intelligent. However, we can’t just train them to allow anyone to ride them. You will have to send over a team of witches and wizards who are willing to remain with us in Romania and help raise the dragons from hatch to adulthood. And keep in mind if a rider is killed, the dragon can be extremely loyal and protective and may go on a rampage against anyone in grief. I’ve seen it happen with mates. Dragons only mate once, and never again. Often times they mourn themselves to death after the loss.  _

_ Looking forward to brainstorming with you,  _

_ Charlie Weasley’ _

Albus smiled. He couldn’t wait to tell Harriet. He knew his brother was going to become a dragon rider. There was no other way about it. Aberforth would not take no for an answer. Albus knew him well.

~meanwhile~

Harry was enjoying her first day in school, but Tom seemed to want to see her all the time in between classes. She laughed softly and pushed him gently against the wall. “Tom, you’re smothering me.”

Making a face, he nodded and dropped his hands. “I guess I still think this is a dream. The Ice Queen is actually willing to flirt with me.”

Harry blushed and looked at her shoes and then back up at him. “Well, we could go back to-”

“Don’t you dare.” He gave her a light kiss on the cheek and then walked off for his next class. 

Smiling softly, Harry moved quickly onto Charms. Everyone was talking about Apparation lessons. Harry huffed slightly and then spoke up. “Nothing remarkable. You just feel like you’re being squeezed through a tube and then twisted around like a braided bread loaf.”

Everyone made a face at that. 

When she met up with Tom again for Alchemy, she squealed in  _ perfect _ imitation of Lavender and said, “Twom Twom!” There were only ten other students in the class, seven of which were seventh years who didn’t care about gossiping so close to leaving school for good.

Tom’s face though caused quite a lot of them to snicker and outright laugh. “Don’t… _ ever _ say that again…”

Harry winked at him and then sat down and twined their fingers together. “Tomikins?”

“We’re over.”

Bursting out laughing, Harry gave him a consoling kiss on his lips before releasing him and opening her notes when the teacher came in.

He lounged against her and charmed his quill to take notes for him. Costing Slytherin five points for laziness.

Tom’s face had been pure outrage. When they left the class, he scowled. “Still think I could have made an argument for it being innovative and time saving.”

“Yes and marched your way into your second detention, Prefect Riddle.” Harry smirked at him and then yelped at the warning bell. She waved at him as she ran down the hall and lunged for the door before it could move.

That evening, she would meet up with Albus, telling Tom about the memories- but not about the,  _ ahem _ , nudity involved- as she bid him goodnight and hurried to the headmaster’s office.

“Minister Scrimgeour came to visit me this Christmas.”

“Yes, I heard. Apologies for letting him get to you.” Albus dropped his glamour and poured them both some wine, knowing from their night on the town that both of them could drink the whole town dry and still get only a buzz.

“Well, he’s not very happy with me.” Harry accepted the flute from him with a grin.

Albus gave a sigh of mock sadness as he sat down across from Harry beside the lit and roaring fireplace. It was literally roaring. Albus had charmed the fire to be the head of a lion. Harry loved magic. 

“No, he’s not very happy with me, either. We must try not to sink beneath our anguish though, Harry, but battle on.” He smirked at her. She nodded sagely.

“Sound advice, Albus. Anyways, he wanted me to be the mascot for the Ministry’s New Plan.” Harry snorted softly. “I told him that I would not endorse a Ministry that I did not trust and did not agree with.”

“A very wise move. Fudge had tried it first, a desperate move to stay in office, but I refuted all his offers.”

“You saved his life. If he had tried something like that with me, then I would have kicked him out a window.” Harry sipped her wine and rolled her eyes. 

“I had a feeling you would.” Albus smirked at her and then set his glass down. “After Cornelius left, Scrimgeour demanded I arrange a meeting with you, and I turned him down.”

“It’s a good thing only you know where I live.” She rolled her eyes. “All these suitor letters are coming to me like junkmail. It’s like the owls are fitted with homing beacons.”

“Sorry?”

“Muggle thing. Nevermind.”

“Speaking of Muggle, I never had a chance to thank you for your invitation and including my brother and me in the fair. It was a wonderful escape. I enjoyed the candy floss. If you ever used my office door, then you’d know I’ve employed it as my newest password.” He smirked at her. She stuck her tongue out at him and then sipped her drink some more. 

“So you argued like the Witch’s Weekly and the Daily Prophet said?”

“Yes…I’m surprised Karina reported that, but then I suppose she wants to be as unbiased as possible in revealing newsworthy items. By reporting I’ve had a tiff, the readers trust her more.”

“True. And the Weekly is bound to print some truth.”

“If quite by accident.” Albus snorted and finished his drink, standing to pour himself another. Harry shook her head at his silent offer. Albus exhaled slowly. “I suppose he tracked your apparating to the Burrow and cornered you on his own.”

“Yes, that’s probably what he did. Damn, I’ll shadow travel from now on. Having myself traced is unnerving. No privacy.” Harry set her empty glass aside. “Anyways, he accused me of being ‘Dumbledore’s girl through and through’.”

Albus faltered and then blinked. “That was uncommonly rude of Rufus.”

“I told him I was.” She smiled at his shocked expression. “What’s so surprising about that, Albus? You’ve had my back ever since the beginning.”

“But it was I who sent you to those monsters-”

“And you dealt with that with excellent efficiency. You saw my godfather free. You’ve told me nothing but the truth. You’ve treated me as an equal. I am honored to be considered your loyal friend.”

Swallowing, Albus blinked rapidly and then took her hand gently. “As I am honored to be yours.” Fawkes trilled lightly in the background. Harry smiled in contentment at this new development. She liked having friends as mature as Albus. Ron and Hermione and Ginny and Tom were grand, but…they had so much learning to do, and so did she. Sometimes…sometimes she liked just being with Albus. It steadied her, made her feel cleaner and clearer.


	20. Catch His Interest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry learns something about Gellert's personality, and both she and Albus realize something tragic.   
> But are they right? And should they tell anyone?

Harry brought the conversation back to less…emotional waters. “His soul showed that he wanted to know where you were.” Her eyes were warm with amusement. Albus returned the look.

“Indeed. He even tried to have me followed. Amusing really. He set Dawlish to tail me. It wasn’t kind. I have already been forced to jinx Dawlish once, as you well know. I did it again with the greatest regret.”

Harry laughed once with true amusement. “Oh Albus, I bet not a single twinkle could be found in your blue eyes.” He snorted.

“Oh indeed.” His voice was very sincere. They shared another laugh and then continued. “But as for you, I can easily inform you that I was merely looking into this…rather interesting story about how the Ministries caught souls. We could do it to anyone Grindelwald chooses to train.”

Harry shook her head. “No. Soul Catchers should be a lost art, buried completely. Don’t bring it from the past, Albus.” Her eyes were intense, all humor gone. Albus frowned.

“What do you know?”

“It doesn’t just catch the soul as I thought. If the catcher is destroyed, then the soul is wiped with it. However, Death told me that it doesn’t work on Masters of Death. Their souls cannot be caught, so it would be useless anyways. Grindelwald wouldn’t allow his followers to become immortal like him. So we can easily kill them and leave their souls to the proper flow in the life and death cycle.”

Albus sighed and then nodded. “I suppose, but this idea of soul catchers intrigues me, Harry. I wonder…can it be done with those already dead?”

“I think so, but you’d have to know how to summon a spirit first and besides my own class, that art is dead.”

“So Grindelwald wouldn’t know how to summon one?”

Harry stilled and then thought about the books he stole from her library. She cursed. “He would know and more besides.” With great reluctance- because telling someone made her feel even more of a fool- Harry told him about the books. “I didn’t even notice the bloody books were missing. I haven’t gone to my room to sleep in months seeing as I don’t need to anymore, and Death never goes into my room if I’m not there…”

Albus leaned heavily into his chair. “What else did he learn?”

“Nothing on Energy Manipulation or Soul Magic. Everything he knows about Soul Magic he’s taught himself. I have to admit, Gellert Grindelwald is really bloody smart.” Harry rubbed her forehead. “He’s turned himself into a formidable Necromancer simply by teeth-gritting research and stubbornness.”

“Yes. He is nothing if not stubborn.”

“Albus…” Harry swallowed. “When I went to the party in Bern, I caught his attention.”

“Yes, we both thought you would.”

“No…no, what I mean is…” Harry breathed out slowly and then looked at him. “How often does he flirt meaninglessly?”

Albus went still and then slowly, so slowly, looked up at her. His eyes were searching. “Show me.” She opened her soul and showed her that evening, muting her own reactions and emotions however. 

When Albus came out, he stood up and started pacing. “He is seriously considering it. I don’t think he’s made any determined choices about you yet. So there’s still a chance you can get out of this as just his enemy.”

“Death got me a dreamcatcher.”

“Well that’s good.” Albus collapsed into a chair again. “However, I have more bad news. That attack of his on the Manor, and the Burrow, now makes sense.”

“How?”

“That is the next memory I was going to show you actually.” Albus exhaled and allowed her to enter his soul.

_ Gellert grinned up as Albus walked into the dining hall. He frowned immediately when he noticed how Albus was ignoring him and sitting next to the others from Hogwarts. Albus felt his staring keenly on the back of his neck, but made no move to look. Why would a seventh year from Hogwarts notice a fifth year from Durmstrang who wasn’t part of the tournament? _

_ He wouldn’t. So Albus wouldn’t.  _

_ At least, that was what he planned, but a younger girl named Clara Fortescue blushingly approached him and asked if he would carry a lock of her hair for good luck. _

_ Albus didn’t know what to do. Before Gellert, he would have smiled and gladly accepted. Miss Fortescue was from a good family and was a very pretty girl. He wouldn’t have minded stepping out with her, but now it seemed cruel to entertain her notions when he hadn’t a chance to…return them. Still, Albus smiled and accepted the lock of hair and went into his second task.  _

_ A blasted Manticore of all things. _

The memory seemed to skip slightly as Albus guided Harry along to the later part of the day. 

_ Returning from the medical ward with the cut along his leg seen to, Albus shouted in shock when someone stunned him and threw a disillusionment charm on him before levitating him to a room that was off the beaten path of the school so to speak.  _

_ “Albus, I do not appreciate being ignored, and I do not appreciate you fancying anyone else after making love with myself.” Gellert looked at the blurred form of his lover with a smile. “I hope then that you will forgive me for this next course of action.” He stepped back and stood in the center of the empty classroom. _

_ “Albus? Your note told me to…oh…I’m sorry. This must be the wrong hallway. I get so turned around.” She gave a nervous laugh. Gellert smiled.  _

_ “Not at all.” He walked closer to her. “I was planning on meeting someone also. Who is this Albus?” _

_ “Oh…” She blushed lightly. “He’s the champion from Hogwarts. I was silly to think that the cup would pick me when he also put his name in…but I’m glad I still could come and cheer him on.” _

_ “You are close to him?” Gellert’s smile was sweet and soft, understanding. Albus felt ill. What was he going to do? How did a fifth year have such strong spells?! Why couldn’t he break free?! _

_ “Not as close as I would like, but…” Clara blushed some more and twisted her gloves around in her hands. “I hope.” _

_ “Ah, hope. That is all a person can do when they love someone. I understand. I too hope that my love will look at me the same as Albus Dumbledore will look at you.” _

_ “How did you know his name?” _

_ “You told me his first and I know the Hogwarts champion’s last name.” Gellert chuckled at her sheepish smile. _

_ “Right. Silly me.” She moved to go, but Gellert whispered a soft spell and muted her cry when he grabbed her.  _

_ “Silly you indeed. You should never engage in conversation with a complete stranger. Have your parents taught you nothing? You should have run when you first opened the door. Obliviate.”  _

_ Albus knew the moment Clara opened her eyes that Gellert had been very thorough. She wouldn’t even remember her feelings for him. Something inside him twinged at the violation of her memories and mind, but he was grateful at least that it was only this and nothing else.  _

_ “You were lost and then you swooned. Are you alright?” _

_ “Oh…yes, I’m quite fine now. Thank you. How do I…?” _

_ “I will show you.” Gellert smirked and closed the classroom door behind him, locking it. _

_ Albus remained like that for another hour until he broke free.  _

They left the memory.

“Damn. So he punishes and defends.”

“Yes. But he isn’t…maniacal.” Albus exhaled. “If he were insane, then all your friends in the Weasley family would be dead. No, he simply was punishing you.”

“Why?”

“He has spies everywhere Harry. Why do you think?”

“I kissed Tom…”

“You flirted with him on the dance floor, and then turned around and kissed Tom. He couldn’t come to England to deal with it, so he sent in two of his most powerful and insane followers who wouldn’t think too much on why he was sending them against a seemingly…unimportant family. And no offense to the Weasleys, but they are on the more unimportant side than not. Remus and Sirius and Severus and Tonks and Karina are more important than they are. The Weasleys are not a threat to him at all, but-”

“Tom is. Tom and I are dating. How did he…” Harry inhaled slowly. “Percy…no...”

“I am afraid so, Harry. I am very sorry to say that we must search Percy Weasley’s soul.”

“He’s under control. He must be. He…wouldn’t…not after Ginny’s treatment under Grindelwald…” Harry stared at Albus, who looked very sad. 

“A memory from the pensieve is in order. This belonged to a friend of mine, Newt Scamander, from the twenties. A very old memory…”

Harry breathed out and submerged herself. She watched the confrontation in the Lestrange catacombs and the splitting of a loving couple. She felt Newt’s pain as Queenie left them. 

When she withdrew from the memory, she felt wretched, and that wasn’t only because of the mixing of magic. “A single meeting…could change  _ all  _ her opinions…”

“And during that time, he was only reading on Necromancy and not practicing it, though he was a Master of Death by then. He had no knowledge in Soul Magic. His only dangerous skill that I lacked was a silver tongue.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Albus.” Harry struggled and then finally got up, waving his offers of help away. “You have quite the charisma about you also. One of the main reasons your brother doesn’t like you. Jealousy.”

“Aberforth? Bah, don’t make me laugh. He hates me.”

“Why?”

Albus swallowed. “You will find out in time. But when you see that memory, you’ll forgive me if I don’t go into my soul with you.”

“Alright.” She looked at him tiredly and then gave him a tight hug. “I won’t judge you for anything. I hope you know that.”

“I’ll forgive you if you take that declaration back afterwards.” Albus smiled at her fragilely and then turned and left her in his study, Fawkes swooping over and alighting onto his shoulder. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Albus.”

~the next day~

Classes continued. Harry existed and worried about Grindelwald’s next move against Tom and her friends, wondering if she should tell Tom about this whole thing… She was seething with herself about how stupid she had been. She  _ knew _ getting together with Tom would involve him even more than before. She  _ knew _ it would paint a target on his back. He was safe all fifth year because they had been enemies! The moment they become lovers, his house burns to the ground. Both of them!

She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know what to say to the still tense Ron and Hermione. It was painful, that. Both loved the other, but both didn’t think telling the other was worth the risk. Ron was afraid of something he thought Hermione wouldn’t like, and so stuck with Lavender the Kiss Addict. Hermione was hurt by Ron’s apparent ‘betrayal’ even though she fully admitted to Harry that Ron broke no promises. Ron was still offended by her going out with Krum two bloody years ago, and Hermione would never understand that, so Harry didn’t even try.

It was painful as said before.

Shaking her head, Harry watched as Hermione sat next to Ernie instead. Tom raised an eyebrow at her, and Harry slipped over to him and Draco. “Save me.”

And then came the poisons in potions class. Blaise seemed to understand. So did Tom and Hermione- who both raced each other to list out the three laws. Harry looked around her and quickly realized her gold standard potions reputation would be in tatters. Not that she cared. She had suffered far worse to her reputation than this, but Hermione had that little smile on her face that really rankled Harry, soo… Harry looked at Snape’s notes, recalled what she learned within his soul. She knew that Snape would find it amusing for her to still one up Hermione, and she knew Tom would be peeved, which was always a plus.

She went to the supply closet, found what she was looking for, and returned to her empty cauldron. Tom and Blaise and Draco all gave her weird looks at her lack of action. She simply smiled back and poked Tom’s soul, a silent warning his shields were slipping again. He cursed quietly and protected himself again.

She waited, skimming Snape’s book for information about Golpalott in order to learn something from this, but there was nothing. Making a note to talk to Snape at a later time about it, Harry looked up when time was up. Tom gave her a worried look, but she beamed right back at him. He was starting to look…uneasy. She giggled. Blaise backed away. She did so love unnerving the Slytherins. Snakes were so tightly coiled.

Coiled. Ha! She cracked herself up all the time.


	21. He Loves Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione eats some dubious chocolates. Harry has enough. And Tom...relapses into some bad habits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry about the late update. I'm exhausted. The world is in chaos, and schools are either shutting down or moving online. Also, workers are having their much needed hours cut, and I'm just tired.  
> But enough with my excuses. Here's my update. I hope you all enjoy it and it can distract you from life's pain, if only for a little while.  
> Thanks!  
> Ink...

When Slughorn came to her and saw her empty cauldron, Harry held out her hand and showed off her bezoar. 

Slughorn was silent for a full five seconds before bursting into raucous belly laughs. “You have some nerve, Miss Potter! Some nerves of steel indeed! How just like your mother! Well, I can’t fault you. A bezoar would certainly act as an antidote to  _ all _ these poisons!” 

Tom dropped his spoon back into his near perfect potion in shock, eyes narrowing. Hermione looked positively livid, hair far bushier than usual and face sooty and red.

Rubbing his face, Draco muttered under his breath, “Sure you aren’t a Slytherin, Potter?”

Tom instantly remembered what Harry had told him long ago. Snake among lions indeed. He smiled and suddenly felt better. Slughorn praised his potion also.

“When a bezoar is not around, this potion of yours would indeed do a marvelous act of saving anyone’s life! Good job, my boy.” Tom smiled. 

“Thank you, sir.” He shot Hermione a grin. Her friend looked even angrier, if that was at all possible. Harry nudged him. 

“Don’t make my life worse.”

“Sure won’t. You do that all by yourself.” He winked at her and then turned to clean up his station. 

Hermione scowled darkly at her. “How do you expect to learn anything with shortcuts?”

“Shush up, Hermione.” Harry smiled at her with sharp eyes. “Knowing a bezoar will do in a minute what making a potion antidote will do in three hours is much easier for everyone.” 

Wrapping an arm around Harry’s waist, Tom snorted and added, “Especially the poisoned person.”

Hermione scoffed and flounced away. Daphne shook her head. “She takes herself far too seriously. It will give her premature wrinkles.” Draco chuckled. Harry suddenly felt a tickle of magic along her skin and frowned, looking around her. She yelped when she realized that Tom had colored her robes silver and green, like she was a Slytherin.

“TOM RIDDLE!”

He cackled and raced off. She colored herself back to Gryffindor and gave chase. Their friends laughed behind them. 

The days slipped by and suddenly it was Saturday, and Apparation lessons came.

So, Harry found herself watching everyone stand around the Great Hall looking at hoops. Tom moved over to her side. “Since we both know already, we don’t have to pay for lessons.”

“Honestly, paying extra for lessons. What a waste.” Harry scoffed. “As if the students don’t pay enough for tuition as is.”

“I know…” Tom rolled his eyes and then sneered. “The money doesn’t even go to Hogwarts, but the Ministry.”

“Glad I’m not paying then.” Harry leaned against Tom and smiled. “I’m glad I’m dating you.”

“What? So you can use me like a pillar?”

“Precisely.” He moved suddenly, causing her to scream, but then Tom caught her and pulled her into his arms again. 

“Ah. I understand.”

Harry promptly started hitting his chest in retaliation causing him to laugh. Unbeknownst to them, everyone had paused in their lesson and looked over to watch them. Some girls were insanely jealous of Harry all the while intimidated by her beauty, pouting that the power couple even got together. Many of the boys were feeling the same way, angry at Tom Riddle for seeming to get everything in his life. Money, looks, power, family, and a beautiful loving girlfriend who was as famous and wealthy as he was.

It just wasn’t  _ fair! _

Snape cleared his throat. “Shall I take points for causing distractions and talking, Miss Potter?”

Flushing, Harry pushed a smile onto her red face. “Not at all, Professor. No need to trouble yourself.” Tom snorted behind her, but they both went quiet.

Twycross began his lecture again. Tom snuggled Harry while standing up. He whispered, “You are a perfect Harriet size person pillow.”

“Um…thanks?”

McGonagall gave them a sharp look of warning. Harry nudged him to shut up. Tom kissed her neck and settled her back against his chest, wrapping his arms around her waist just under her breasts. Harry rested against his firm form and gave a sigh. This was nice.

When Susan Bones splinched herself, Harry frowned. “I wonder if a boy has ever been splinched in the important areas.” Tom did a full body shudder at the thought.

“Now I’m going to have nightmares.” 

Harry wasn’t satisfied though. She raised her hand. Twycross frowned at her. “Yes, Miss Potter?”

“Has it ever happened where a splinching has separated a head from a person’s shoulders? Or separated a boy from his…vital areas?”

Suddenly, all the males in the room looked very uneasy about practicing anymore. Ron looked ill. 

Twycross was beginning to take on a slightly purple hue. “No, Miss Potter. There has never been a recorded decapitation during apparation. Nor have I ever witness any castrations.” 

Nodding, Harry smiled. “Alright, thank you, sir.”

When the man called the students to do it again, there was a bit of hesitation in everyone. No one really wanted to be castrated or decapitated. McGonagall and Snape looked supremely exasperated.

About halfway through lunch later, Harry found herself in Slytherin colored robes again. She glowered at Tom and then wandlessly and wordlessly changed  _ all _ the Slytherins to wearing Gryffindor colors. 

The war of colors began after that. 

Coloring spells were flying everywhere. Harry frowned when she heard a squawk. She turned and caught the tail end of a green colored crow. Her eyes narrowed. Pansy… However, when she made it to the hall, the crow was out the window and gone. She cursed and went back inside just in time for someone to turn her hair red.

Pulling up a spherical shield charm, she walked down the Great Hall and went to her dorm. She noticed that Albus was cheerfully shielding the teachers’ table as well.

More days went by and then on Ron’s birthday, Hermione was just…a mess. She had planned this big party for him in the Three Broomsticks, to reunite them and all since Harry was urging her to do it, but now that it was canceled…she was just crying. Harry sighed and went to take a shower. It was only when she came back and found Hermione morosely eating some of the chocolates that Sirius had sent that Harry became really concerned. 

Hermione didn’t usually indulge in sweets and when she did meant she was either in her cycle, or really depressed. All evidence pointed to depression. 

“Hey, why don’t we go have the party in the Room of Requirement? The Elves would love to help you bake all the sweets and that way you can spend more time with them and get to understand their culture!” Harry’s smile shrank when Hermione shrugged.

“M’not interested in any birthday parties for Ron anymore. He’s ugly.”

“Um…what?”

When Hermione started waxing poetic about Romulus Vane, Harry knew her friend had been dosed with a love potion. She swiftly took her to the closest teacher available. Slughorn.

It occurred to Harry later- when Hermione was feeling sick but herself- that potions were being smuggled. If this could get smuggled then… Shit, now Hermione was being poisoned from the wine.

Bezoar! 

When Hermione had been transferred to the medical ward, Harry explained everything to the teachers quietly, not letting go of her friend’s hand. “Hermione told me months ago that Romulus Vane was going to try and trick me with a love potion and become my boyfriend.” She purposefully ignored Tom, who was listening intently. “What neither of us realized was that he would go so far as to forge Sirius’ signature on a note on a box of chocolates. I don’t like dark chocolate and…Hermione was having a bad day, well week actually, and I guess she wanted some chocolates, so…anyways, I came back from the showers just in time to stop her from approaching Vane. Then, I tricked her into thinking- dosed Hermione is really stupid- that Vane was with Professor Slughorn. The potions professor was closer, sorry Snape. After that, well, Hermione drank some of the wine before we could taste ours and…this happened.”

Slughorn was looking very pale. He was holding the bottle. “I was planning on giving it to Miss Potter as a Yule gift to share with her godfather and uncle, but you left before I could give it to you…I…my dear girl…I’m so sorry…”

Albus sniffed the poisoned wine and then sighed. “This is packaged and sold by Rosmerta in the Three Broomsticks. I will have to speak with her to see who has access to her drink and food…”

Minerva studied Harry intently. “Once again, it came from the outside of the school.”

Rolling her eyes, but making sure no one saw, Harry faced Hermione’s sleeping form.

“Hermione!” Ron raced into the ward and sat down quickly and looked at her before looking at Harry. This hadn’t happened since second year… “Will she be alright?” He looked at Harry, pale faced. She smiled.

“Long life ahead of her, Ron. She’s going to be fine. Lecturing and rolling her eyes at us very soon.” He laughed tensely and then focused on the girl asleep on the bed. 

Hermione sighed his name softly. So softly that Harry thought for a moment Ron hadn’t heard, but he had. His blush showed that.

Suddenly, Lavender came into the ward and started complaining about him leaving her in the middle of their date. Her voice was getting higher and higher until she hit a note that made Hermione give a whine of pain even while asleep. That did it for Ron.

“Lavender, will you  _ please _ shut up?! You’re making Hermione feel worse!” Then he turned and held Hermione’s hand. Harry nearly guffawed at Lavender’s shocked face. 

The girl gave a scream of inarticulate rage and stormed off. Ron blinked suddenly and realized he had just broken up with her. Hermione gave another moan of pain, and Lavender was gone from Ron’s mind in a blink.

Albus smiled behind his glamour. “Ah to be young and full of pain and angst again.”

“Speak for yourself, Albus.” Minerva gave him an arched look.

Tom, very silently, left. Harry didn’t notice since Hermione was waking up. Ron was talking immediately.

“Hermione! What possessed you to eat dosed chocolates?!”

“I didn’t know they were dosed! And besides why should you care?”

“I care because you’re my friend!”

“Ha! Some friend! Won Won this and Won Won that! I can’t look at your direction anymore without seeing her attached around you like a fungus!” She frowned. “Why am I here anyways?”

“You were bloody poisoned! And don’t criticize Lavender! As least, she cares about real life and not House Elves and books!”

“House Elves are real life, Ronald Weasley, and of course she doesn’t care about books, probably doesn’t even know how to spell her name!”

“And that’s a real tragedy, yeah. Being stupid and illiterate is a real crime against all humanity! What if she doesn’t have a chance in hell at learning as fast as you?! Huh! Ever think that maybe you should have some patience with people? We don’t all try and strive to be stupid!”

“I’m not saying that you’re less of a person because you can’t read quickly, Ron! I’m just saying that you don't even try! You care about Quidditch and Exploding Snap and collecting frog cards-”

“I haven’t done that since I was twelve! And what’s wrong with Quidditch? Just because you can’t fly to save your skin, doesn’t mean I should give it up!”

“I’m not saying you- URGH Ron, you drive me insane!”

“That’s not a drive. It’s a short put!”

“Ronald Weasley- mphf!”

Harry had quite enough. She pushed their faces together and forced them to kiss. “Stop hating already. You two love each other like morons, swallow some pride and just say it. Honestly.” With that, she walked away. Severus snorted. 

“Five points to Gryffindor for alleviating the angst in the school.”

Harry gave him a bright smile. Ron and Hermione were both red in the face.

~meanwhile~

Tom smiled softly as he saw Romulus Vane alone in the boys bathroom on the seventh floor. “Hello, Vane. I heard you tried to give my girlfriend some chocolates…” The boy went pale and opened his mouth. Tom chuckled and silenced him. “No, no…I’m afraid you shouting now would only spoil my lesson, and afterwards…” He laughed softly and pulled out his wand. “Well, it’s a prefect’s word against yours, a would be rapist… Having sex under the influence is against the law, Vane. So I wouldn’t try to report me, if I were you. No one would believe you anyway. The teachers are probably looking for you right now.”

He closed the bathroom door and locked it. His grin widened. “But I’m afraid they won’t find you for a little while yet.”


	22. Following the Thread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albus is a curious person. He has a lot of curiosity too.

~the next day~

In the Astronomy Tower, Harry looked at Severus and Albus grimly. “Alright, so the cabinet is nearly repaired. Grindelwald thinks I’m going to be returned to life by Death, giving you the go ahead to kill me-”

“Haven’t you thought that you are asking too much of me? That perhaps, Miss Potter, I do not wish to do this?!” His eyes were seething with rage.

Harry blinked in surprise at him. “Severus, I’m not going to stay dead.” He scowled darkly and looked away and out to the forest.

“The action is bad enough. To have to kill you…”

“Mum knows about this plan by the way.” He turned swiftly and stared at her in shock. Harry smiled at him sadly. “Did you think I wouldn’t give you closure?” She handed him a note that she had taken down for Lily. Severus accepted it with numb fingers and then swiftly vanished in shadows. 

Turning to Albus, Harry exhaled. “I haven’t told Tom about Grindelwald possibly targeting him.”

“You should.”

“Yeah…”

“I didn’t get a chance to commend you, Harriet, but that bezoar was truly fast thinking on your part.”

“Yeah. I’m just glad that there was one in the room.”

“Harry?”

They looked up and saw Hermione. Albus had swiftly pulled up his glamour. Hermione hadn’t noticed. Harry barked at her friend, “What in blazes are you doing out of bed? You need to stay in the ward-”

“I just…I wanted to thank you. For saving my life and…I’m sorry about being mad at you about the bezoar. You’re right. Creating a potion is completely illogical in comparison to the efficiency of a bezoar and…oh Harry!” She flung herself into Harry’s arms and sobbed. “Ron’s avoiding me!”

“Shit.”

“Ahem.” Albus cleared his throat. “I believe that Mr Weasley is avoiding you, Miss Granger, because he feels…inadequate compared to you, but rather than admit this, he hides it behind bluster and girlfriends at what he considers his level of worth. Which is both an insult to himself and Miss Brown.”

Hermione stared at him in shock. “But…why?”

“Oh hell…” Harry thought about Tom’s words, Ron’s hints, and then looked at Hermione sadly. “He’s got some sort of learning impediment. Tom tutored him personally during the later part of OWLs, and his grades improved markedly. Headmaster’s right. He feels like you’d look down on him because he considers himself dumber than you.”

“Of all the idiotic- Ron!” Hermione stomped her foot and raced off, wiping her tears away quickly. 

“You’re quite right. Ron came to me during his fifth year and asked if he could get any help in learning because he had a common Muggle issue called Dyslexia. It’s very rare among the magical communities, but he has it. It was actually his request of help that made me realize Hogwarts needs to be improved and updated, and I talked to you about it, though the board shut me down. Anyways, afterwards, I asked Tom to approach him since Ron knew him rather well, and they lived together. I’m glad to see that Ron’s grades are improving with Tom’s help.”

Harry leaned against the railing of the tower. “Me too. Why didn’t he say anything?”

“Because his two close friends were practically perfect.” Albus’ voice sounded far away, as if reliving something from his own past that was very similar. Harry let him be and simply stared at the sunset.

A few days later and just before the match, Ron nearly got strangled by a plant vine and was sent to the medical ward. Harry stared at McLaggen and then cursed under her breath. She had absolutely no choice in the matter.

It was only Death’s roar of warning later on during the game that caused Harry to grab McLaggen and use him as a shield against the ball. She heard his breastbone crack and let him drop to the ground with disgust. Hooch blew her whistle, and the game was paused. 

Harry rolled her eyes and then signalled her team to circle up. “Dean, you block from now on. Ginny and Demelza, sorry, but you’re on your own. Coote and Peakes, continue as you were. You’re doing great. Don’t let that idiot get you down.” She smiled at them. “Every practice, you guys are getting better, and I’m proud to have you on the team.”

They grinned at her for that and nodded before flying back to positions. Harry turned to Dean. “No practice in this position, but you’re fast and your strong and your stubborn. I trust you, Dean, and don’t let it get to you if you do let one in.” She smiled at him. “It’s not the end of the world, and the game has no room for doubts.” He nodded to her nervously and smiled.

“Thanks, Harry.”

With that, Harry soared back up and motioned to Hooch. She blew the whistle and the game continued.

“With McLaggen knocked out by Harry, Dean Thomas had replaced him. He has much less Knarlaps, so I think he’ll be better at this. Ernie still seems to be succumbing to Loser’s Lurgy, but I hope he gets better soon. Harry doesn’t seem to have found the Snitch yet, but Dean just block his first goal, go Dean! The Gryffindor Team doesn’t seem to be missing McLaggen much, but I think the fans are a bit peeved with him anyways, so maybe that’s a good thing.” McGonagall did her first facepalm. It was clear that she would never be asking Luna Lovegood to be the announcer again.

In the end, it was a nerve wracking game that lasted for hours until Harry finally found the snitch and won. Five hundred ten points to Hufflepuff’s three hundred and fifty. Before the snitch they had been at a tense three hundred sixty to three hundred and fifty with Hufflepuff just one goal away from a tie. 

Dean was a ragged mess, but he was happy he hadn’t lost the game. He did look at Ron later in the medical ward and say, “You can keep Keeper, Weasley. I can’t take the stress.”

The Hufflepuffs tried to accuse Harry of sabotaging the game, but McGonagall scoffed. “Sabotaging her own, team, MacMillan, don’t be a fool.” And that had been that.

Later, Harry summoned Dobby while in Albus’ office and yelped when not only Dobby came but Pops and Kreacher too, with Peeves hooting and taunting the Elves to fight harder.

“Oh do be quiet, Peeves!” Peeves pouted at her and zipped away. 

“Kreacher! Pops! I order you two to stop fighting! Dobby! Step back!”

She huffed and looked at them. “Pops, what started this fight?”

“Mistress was being insulted by Kreacher, and Dobby came to deliver your messages to Master Weasley, and overheard. Dobby attacked Kreacher after Kreacher was provoking badly on Dobby. Pops was tryin to separate them and then got hits in the eye.” 

Sighing, Harry crouched beside Pops and then healed his bruises and cuts. She did the same to Dobby. Then, she moved to Kreacher, who was standing very still and stared at her. She healed him gently and then looked at all three of them. 

“Pops, you have tasks elsewhere. Thank you for trying to keep peace.” Pops grinned and then vanished. Harry sighed and looked at Dobby. “You are a free Elf, and that means you can do what you want, but Dobby, I don’t want you fighting the other Elves, even if they are insulting me, or you think they do deserve it. Okay? The only time you are to stop anyone is if they are about to hurt someone.”

Dobby sulked but nodded and dug his toe into the carpet. Harry suppressed a smile at the sight. She turned to Kreacher and sighed. “What am I going to do with you, Kreach?” She didn’t know why she gave the bitter Elf a nickname, but he stared at her in stunned silence for it. 

“Alright, Kreacher, I want you to return to Grimmauld Place.” He vanished without a word. Which was strange. Harry shrugged and then turned to Dobby. “There is an enemy of mine, Pansy Parkinson, who is able to turn into a crow. I want you to follow her whenever you can and tell me immediately if she is about to hurt someone. Okay?”

Dobby nodded vigorously, saluted her in a strangely Muggle fashion, and then cracked away. Harry blew some hair out of her face and looked at a very amused Albus. 

“Well, that was the first time I have ever seen two Elves fighting before. I’m glad I could see it.”

“Do you know why he acted so shocked when I healed him?”

“Kreacher?”

“Yeah.”

“Elves aren’t usually given human magic. It’s considered above them. They are called to heal themselves.”

“Oh.” Harry frowned and then shrugged and turned back to Albus. “Sooo, I walk in to find you talking alone with Sybil…” She waggled her eyebrows at him. Albus looked horrified.

“MERLIN NO!”  He looked so repulsed and mentally scarred that Harry fell into her sofa chair in gales of laughter.

Albus shuddered once more before clearing his throat. “She was complaining about Firenze still teaching, and I can’t send the poor centaur back to a hateful herd- and no matter how much Bane owes you, he won’t be willing to accept Firenze with open arms- and I can’t let Trelawney go because then Grindelwald would read her soul and such and do who knows what on her. He was always so fascinated by the mystic arts, the unexplainable ones, that sometimes work and sometimes are shams. He’s a Seer himself, and so he’d love to get into her soul and mind.” Albus shuddered.

“Ah, that’s why he got so focused on Necromancy then along with Divs.”

“Exactly. Severus has been informing me that Grindelwald has a Seer, which is troubling. A genuine one too. Them collaborating is a dangerous thing.” He looked at Harriet. “Is there any truth to the rumor that Necromancy can be used to see into the future?” To Albus’ surprise, Harry shuddered and moved closer to the fire as if cold.

“The Three Sisters…” She exhaled slowly. “How much do you know about Greek Myths?”

“Not much I’m afraid.”

Harry nodded and then vanished before returning with a Greek Myths storybook that covered the basics in an easy to understand way. “Read this then. Page seventy.” Albus began reading it out loud, but Harry jumped up, eyes wide. “Don’t say their names!”

Her reaction was so extreme, that Albus had to pause. “Harriet?” She sighed and slumped slightly.

“The gods are…fickle.”

“But you go to the Chapel.”

“If there was not One who oversaw everyone, then this world would have been in ruins long ago.” Harry swallowed and looked at the fire. “Say their name, they notice you. The Kindly Ones are what they are referred to as. Don’t test it. You ask if there is a way to see into the Future. There is, but it’s dangerous. You must channel the power of the Kindly Ones, but they aren’t kind, and their power is…dangerous. You see into the future of each lifespan you’ve chosen to look into. It’s a ritual called Following the Thread.” Albus studied the book and hummed.

“They spin out the thread and then cut it when the life is over. What about ours?”

“Masters of Death…the Kindly Ones hate us, because our threads won’t remain cut. They reforge. Death cannot collect our souls, and they cannot end us.” Harry poked at the fire with an iron. 

“I see. You’ve learned this ritual?”

“It’s one of the few that I haven’t taught you all. Following the Thread…is dangerous to a person’s sanity. It’s doable, but few people are able to survive the information overload.”

Albus exhaled. “I see. What’s needed for the ritual?”

“Just the blood of the person you wish to See far for, and the words in the Language of Death, along with the knowledge of how to make the array of symbols. That’s it.” Harry stood up and looked at him. “I came here for a memory.”

Realizing that Harry would not say anything else, Albus crushed his avid curiosity and made himself promise to himself to not dig further. His sanity meant more than his curiosity being quenched.

Smiling, Albus nodded. “Of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I hoped you enjoyed! ; D  
> Ink...


	23. Goodnight Ariana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albus finally tells Harry what happened that night. The night his sister died.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHAT?! I just noticed that the comments are over two hundred! That's a lot for me!   
> Guys thank you so much! Your feedback means so much, and I love the shared passion you all have for this series!  
> Thank you!  
> Ink...

Albus’ smile faltered as he realized what memory she would be seeing this time. He exhaled. “How much exactly do you know about my past?”

“Death told me how your sister was killed during a duel between yourself, Aberforth, and Grindelwald. Ab blamed you, but the law blamed Grindelwald.” She sat down again and stared at him.

He sighed. “Yes…I’m sure you know enough of the bits and pieces to know the gist of what happened. This takes place in the summer of 1899.” He sighed tiredly and rubbed his eyes. “I had just recently graduated Hogwarts and felt like I was invincible, owned the world…of course, Grindelwald encouraged me to think that, but I was being quite arrogant enough all on my own.”

Harry slipped into his soul.

_ Shock ripped through Albus when the door to his bedroom burst open. Gellert pulled away from his lover and stared at Aberforth while quickly hiding himself from the shocked brother. _

_ “Aberforth! Knock first, you imbecile!” _

_ “You…you practice these deviant ways when ARIANA IS JUST ACROSS THE HALL?!” _

_ Albus sneered. “Deviant my arse! And she’s stuck in her own dreamworld. Like she always is! I put up silencing charms around here, and monitoring charms around her! Nothing was going to happen!” _

_ Nostrils flaring, Aberforth watched as his brother put himself back together. “You’re one of those types then, eh?” _

_ “Brother, who I choose to lay with is none of your concern.” Gellert chuckled in the background and opened a window to let in some air. He pulled out a cigarette and handed one off to Albus. _

_ “Nor is it any job of the younger brother to lay judgement on the elder.” _

_ “Some elder.” Aberforth sneered. “Shirks the duty of the household! Leaves Mother when she’s on her deathbed!” _

_ “I came back when I heard she was ill!” Albus snarled. “I was gone barely a week, you fool! And it’s hardly my fault that my father got himself arrested! How was I, at the age of ten, supposed to take care of a lazy brother, a frigid mother, and an insane sister?!” _

_ “DON’T YOU DARE CALL OUR SISTER INSANE!” _

_ Gellert sneered. “She is, isn’t she?” _

_ Turning harshly, Aberforth narrowed his eyes. “My brother was a ponce at the worst of times, but he wasn’t unloving. You…YOU’RE CHANGING HIM, YOU-!”  _

_ Gellert whipped out his wand and smiled tensely. “Ah, ah, ah…let’s keep name calling out of this. Albus invited me, but neither of us invited you into this room. You can go off and coddle your baby sister, but do close the door on your way out.” _

_ “Why you-” _

_ “Aberforth, enough!” Albus quickly stepped in between them. His own wand was out. He looked at Gellert and then at Aberforth. “Our tempers are running high. I’m sorry you found out this way about my…preferences, but I am not apologizing for having Gellert over. We were not anywhere near Ariana. She doesn’t even know he’s here. I know how she doesn’t like strangers. She’s still perfectly happy with her dolls, Aberforth.” _

_ His brother was breathing harshly, but his wand was lower now. Albus exhaled slowly and then smiled. His smile vanished at Gellert’s next words. _

_ “Yes, I even locked her door to make sure she stayed put.” _

_ Both brothers turned sharply. Albus frowned in horror. “You locked her in, Gellert?! She hates locked doors!” _

_ “Is that why you didn’t lock our bedroom?” _

_ “His bedroom, you German swine!” _

_ “I’m Austrian.” _

_ “LIKE THERE’S A DIFFERENCE?!” _

_ “There’s quite a bit of difference, and I’m beginning to greatly dislike you, Aberforth Dumbledore.”  _

_ Albus exhaled and whipped his wand. The door across the hall unlatched. “There. She didn’t even notice yet. That’s good.” He turned to his brother. “Please leave us, Aberforth.” _

_ “Like hell I’m gonna leave you with this Durmstrang drop out. You hear about him getting expelled?” _

_ Frowning, Albus turned and looked at Gellert, who was still. “You said you willingly left Durmstrang…” _

_ “Willingly?! HA! Don’t make me laugh, Albus. He was expelled for performing inhuman experiments on unwilling fellow students! Even Durmstrang knew that was crossing the line! I heard all about it from Burbage! She thought we had forgiven him and willingly given him a second chance! He LIED to you, Albus. He’s using you!” _

_ “He lies, Albus!” There was actual panic in Gellert’s eyes then. “I wanted to leave Durmstrang! There was nothing more for me there! I wanted to explore with you, to merge our power and search for our birthright! As gods-” _

_ “GODS?!” Aberforth turned and looked at his brother. “Is this the same Albus Dumbledore who gave Ariana a piggyback ride during Christmas holiday? Who taught me my first spell? You’re changing, Albus, and not for the better! He would destroy you! He’s trying to turn you into a Dark Wizard and use you! How many more times has he lied to you?!” _

_ “I haven’t lied! I dropped out of school on my own! It was still being investigated, and I dropped out on my own before anyone could come to any conclusions! I missed you! I wanted to be with you, Albus.” Gellert stepped closer to his lover and smiled, cupping his cheek, but Albus slowly pushed his hand away and moved back.  _

_ He was looking at Gellert as though he didn’t know him. “Experiments…and then what…you would wipe their minds? Were you not thorough enough for one student, Grindelwald?” _

_ Gellert looked like he had been slapped twice across the face. “Albus…” He moved towards the older Dumbledore, but the younger roared. _

_ “Leave him alone!” Suddenly Gellert went flying across the room. Albus gave a cry.  _

_ “Ab no! Don’t fight in here!” _

_ “You English Swine!” Gellert snapped his wand up, and Aberforth threw up a shield to deflect the lightning. Albus gave a shout when he was suddenly being pulled magically towards Gellert. Aberforth roared when he was pinned against the far wall. _

_ “Albus…don’t believe your brother. He doesn’t understand us. He has never been on your side. You told me so yourself! He’s always nit picked at you, never been happy with anything you’ve done for him or with him or for the family. He hates you…can’t you see that? What use is familial loyalty when they aren’t loyal to  _ you _?!” _

_ Albus swallowed and then looked at Aberforth. “Family is forever. Blood…I was wrong to think I could leave them, Grindelwald-” _

_ “NO! YOU AREN’T CHOOSING THEM OVER ME! YOU PROMISED ME! YOU PROMISED ME FOREVER!” Gellert’s eyes were wild with rage. He dropped Aberforth and then smiled as he readied another spell, one more…painful than before. _

_ Grabbing his wand arm and pushing it down, Albus stared at Gellert. “Don’t fight. Just leave. You must leave. It’s over…” _

_ The younger man looked at Albus with glittering eyes, two different colors now since some duel went wrong for him. It had been after Albus had left. The strange coloration was almost hypnotising. Albus got lost in it, like prey before a King Cobra. _

_ “No, Albus…” His voice was soft. “It will never be over for us.” _

_ “Leave my brother alone!”  _

_ “Aberforth, no!” _

_ “Crucio!” _

_ “Bombarda!” _

_ “Expelliarmus!” Albus spell missed since he had been caught up on the fringe of the blast. Gellert screamed his name, but all Albus knew was that his leg was…in agony. He smelled smoke and realized he had landed in the fireplace he had lit to warm them from the cold rainy day.  _

_ Scrambling out, he extinguished the flames and then started healing himself. He forced himself to look up and watched in horror as the spells between his brother and lover grew far more destructive and far more deadly.  _

_ And then… _

_ Then he saw Ariana, eyes wide, looking hopeful. She had heard Aberforth’s voice and was eager to see him.  _

_ Terror lanced through Albus. “ARIANA! NO!” The spells were in the air. Albus snatched up his wand. “Protego!” Five spells were blocked. One spell, just one spell, slipped past. _

_ Her mouth was open in shock. The duel halted in a single moment of horror. Distantly, Albus heard Aberforth screaming. Gellert dropped his wand arm to hang uselessly at his side. Even he acknowledged that magical blood had uselessly been spilt. _

_ Albus’ eyes were still on his sister. Ariana was looking at him with sadness and such old, old eyes… And then she was falling. When her body hit the floor, every sound was suddenly unmuted, and Albus could hear every bit of anguish in Aberforth’s voice. _

_ Slumping face down onto the carpet, Albus sensed Gellert coming closer. “No…I cannot go with you. I need to arrange for the funeral…” _

_ “I am sorry…” _

_ “So am I. Aberforth will press charges against you. You need to leave.” _

_ “Do you still…love me?” _

_ Albus sighed tiredly. “I don’t know.” _

_ Gellert pulled away and said softly, eyes still on Aberforth cradling his sister. “I won’t give up on us, Albus. Know that. I won’t ever give up.” With that, he stood and then jumped out the window and climbed down the same trellis he had climbed up only a few short hours before. _

_ Not once had Albus looked away from his studying of the carpet he was lying on.  _

_ Clutching Ariana against him, Aberforth swallowed and spoke hoarsely, “This is your fault, Albus…all of this…is on you.” _

_ There was nothing he could say to his brother. Every bone in his body told him that Aberforth was right. He had invited the demon into the house, and Ariana had paid the price of his hubris. _

Harry pulled away and looked at Albus and then grabbed him suddenly by his robes and shook his lightly. “How is it bloody your fault?! You daft moron!”

“I invited Grindelwald-”

“Because you thought him a suitor, a lover, a boyfriend! How can you be faulted for believing him when he was apparently innocent, while others have believed him after he’s blatantly done evil acts?! You can’t blame yourself for trusting someone! You can only start blaming yourself for trusting someone who’s been  _ proven  _ a liar!”

“Harriet, I unlocked the door-”

“An action that Aberforth was going to do anyways! Ariana would have come into your open bedroom door because Aberforth left the door open! It wouldn’t have mattered who unlocked her door!”

“I was too slow-”

“So have I been on many occasions. I was nearly too slow to save Ginny and Tom, and I only saved them because Death was by my side helping me. You had no one then, and your leg had just been roasted, and your lover had just been outed as a maniac who tortured people for science! I would have been completely unresponsive!” She released Albus with a huff. “It wasn’t Aberforth’s fault either. He’s a hot head, but he was wanting to protect you from both yourself and Grindelwald’s smooth words.”

“He blamed me-”

“In the heat of the moment and you’ve let him make a habit of it, you self abasing wizard.” Harry shot him a look and then waved her hand. “Honestly. Seeing you two dance around this issue for a century is…is really quite terrifying. How can such a moron be our headmaster?”

He blinked at her slowly, drawing himself back. “That’s a bit harsh.” 

“It’s the truth.” She shot him a look over her shoulder and then relented and pulled him into a hug. “You need to sit down with Aberforth and talk about  _ feelings _ .”

“Merlin, no…” He groaned this quietly. 

“It would have been easier if you had done it decades ago, when no one made habits of hating themselves and others, but Aberforth has got to be stopped. He’s made a habit of blaming you for everything, including stubbing his own toe in the morning! Don’t think I didn’t hear that conversation during training.”

Albus chuckled weakly. “And I’ve made a habit of shouldering guilt.”

“Yes. Both of you need to stop immediately.”

“Or you’ll do what?”

“I’ll bury you both in a box and force you to hash it out that way!” With a stomp of her foot, she vanished. Albus slumped against his desk and blinked in surprise. That hadn’t gone at all how he envisioned it to go.

Fawkes squawked at him sharply and hit him on the head with his left wing. “Oh, so I gather you agree with her?” A purr was his only reply. Albus rolled his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took the title 'Goodnight Ariana' from 'Goodnight Vienna'. It's a saying meaning that everything's over, and there's nothing for it. What's done is done.  
> The destruction of their duel is just that. Goodnight Vienna for Ariana.  
> Thanks for reading!  
> Ink...


	24. Tired and Bored

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are gearing up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Add 'depressed' and the title would describe me perfectly.   
> Ink...

Harry was busy staring at Hermione and Ron kissing. It had happened. The day had come. Groaning, she walked out of the common rooms, pointedly ignoring the Fat Lady telling her that curfew was going to be up in a few minutes. 

Hissing out a breath, Harry was pretty sure she could evade the newest caretaker who had replaced the Grindelwald supporter. She had completely forgotten his name. 

Leaning against the wall, she noticed Peeves appear by her side. “Apprentice?” His voice was strangely quiet.

She shrugged. “Yes?”

“The ghosts are talking. There’s some dissenting against you.”

“Wanting to report me…”

“Yes. Shall I kill them twice?”

“Oh Peeves…” She laughed suddenly and looked at him. “Have you ever been so tired that you couldn’t even bring yourself to prank someone?” His eyes widened at her in horror and he shook his head so hard his hat sailed off. She smiled sadly and turned back to look at the window. “That’s how I feel. So tired…”

Death appeared by her side, causing Peeves to yelp and rocket away in nervousness. “Harriet…”

“I’m sixteen, Death. And yet I feel as though I’m sixteen thousand.”

“What brought this on?”

“I saw what had been hounding Albus all these years. I saw his soul memory.”

“Ah.” Death watched out the window as Hagrid came back from the forest, undoubtedly to help Aragog. “And?”

“I know his name…”

“Grindelwald’s.”

“Yeah.” She said this even though it hadn’t been a question. “He’s staying silent.”

“I am aware of your deal.” He didn't have to say it aloud, but Harry appreciated it. She had always known he had known.

“Am I wrong?”

“In the great long run? No. But I’m rather surprised that you would be willing to do that for Muggles.”

She laughed bitterly. “I’m doing it for people like Violet and Frank Granger, not for Petunia and Vernon Dursley.”

“I see. It’s dangerous.” He examined his scythe. "Has the potential to put my Reapers on overtime." She was too tired to flinch.

“Yeah, but the blame will be laid on him.”

“It’s still dangerous.” He closed his eyes and then opened them and looked down at her. “You’re growing up…”

“How’s my soul?” She looked at him slowly, forcing her gaze to move up to his face. 

“Grey and white. Still light.” His voice was calming. Cool and yet warm. 

She looked at her African Rosewood wand and swallowed. “I’ll tell Tom tonight.”

“Curfew in a few moments.”

“Hang curfew.” She vanished and appeared in Tom’s dorm. “Tom.”

He snapped awake and lit up his wand. “Harry?” She climbed onto his bed and looked at Blaise, who had also woken up. 

“Harry?”

“Blaise, can you um…”

“I’ll go visit my mother then.” He smiled at her and then dissolved in shadow. Tom snorted.

“Still waiting for you to teach me that.”

She poked his soul hard, but his shields didn't break. Harry raised an eyebrow at that but let it slide. She continued tonelessly, “I didn’t come to talk about that.”

“What about then?” He frowned at her intently. 

“The attack on the Burrow…on the Manor. It was a punishment and a warning.” She swallowed and snuggled against him, secretly enjoying his bare chest. He wasn’t overly muscular, but he was firm, and she rather liked it.

Tom wrapped his arms around her. “Explain.”

“A punishment to me. I went to Bern on Christmas Eve and secured the Minister away from Grindelwald…and during that evening, I was forced to either dance with Grindelwald or make a scene and break trust with everyone I had just secured alliances with.”

“So you danced. So what? It was a dance between two enemies.” His voice was thick with warning. For who, Harry didn’t know.

“At first it was. We parried verbal insults at each other and then…then it shifted. I can’t tell you when or how, but he was suddenly propositioning me. At first, I thought that he was just doing this to unnerve me, get me off my game. You know, like Ginny snogged Blaise right before the last game and caused him to be rattled for the good first part of it.”

Tom barked a soft laugh. “Yeah. I remember. Michael Corner wasn’t pleased.”

“Not their first argument. Their relationship is on the rocks.”

“You were saying?”

“Well, I informed the Headmaster about this and his reaction…he told me that Grindelwald was interested in me and on the verge of making a decision to either accept me or discard me and continue on as enemies. But I think…the attack on your houses happened just after I kissed you.”

Tom’s voice was stilted. “He’s already made his decision…”

“Yeah. The Headmaster was just being optimistic, but we all know that the choice has been made.”

“A punishment for what exactly? I get the warning. It was to me and the family to back away and burn bridges, but punishment?”

“Flirting with him, and then kissing you.” She hid her face against his shoulder and pillow, voice muffled.

Shifting slightly so she was on top of him and his back was on the mattress, Tom snorted. “Well shit.”

Harry smiled bitterly. “I didn’t…want to tell you. Telling would be making it real.”

“I understand.”

“I was right all along though.” Harry rested her palms against his shoulders, torso resting on his, and hips on the mattress. 

“Right about what exactly?” He slipped some hair behind her ear but continued playing with the lock. 

“That tying yourself to me will only get you killed.” She gave him a serious look. “Tom, during fifth year we were enemies, and you never once got into any danger.” She raised her hand. “Hear me out, Tom. First year, we were friends, and you were threatened by Grindelwald. Second year, we were close friends, and you were enslaved by Grindelwald. Third year, we were very close friends, and your uncle was sent to kill me, nearly outing your family shame and secrets for the Wizarding World to read. On top of that, I took your memories. Fourth year, you were in love with me, and you got thrown into a life and death tournament by Grindelwald-”

“Actually, I think that was Pansy’s doing. Grindelwald just took the credit for my name. I think she put me in the cup to get rid of me and then make you lose a number one Slytherin ally.”

Harry blinked and then frowned. “Oh.” Waving her hands, she shook her head quickly. “Doesn’t matter. Point still stands. Fifth year, we were estranged, almost enemies, and you have never been safer!”

“Sixth year, happiest year of my life, and I don’t care what might come. If I died tomorrow, then I’ll be glad I had at least a few months with you.” He pulled her into his arms tightly and kissed her. “And now my dear pet, you’ll either have to leave or stay the night.” His eyes glittered. “There’s no in between.”

“I don’t think I’m quite ready to…stay the night.”

He smiled and kissed her before kissing down her neck and onto her clothed chest. “Very well, but let me be the first to know when you are ready.”

She laughed and then brought his face up to kiss him again. “Oh you.” When she untangled herself from him, she petted Nagini, closed her eyes, and then opened them with a smile and vanished. Blaise came back in a few minutes.

“How’d you know- Harry spoke to you.”

“Yep. She also told me that I’m to guard you from Grindelwald’s attacks until you can defend yourself fully against a Necromancer.” Blaise grunted and then started laying wards and Death Magic arrays along the floor. Tom watched him.

“What are those?”

“It flares upon being touched by the magic of Parkinson or Grindelwald. Either way, I’ll wake up.”

“Will I?”

“Yes.” Blaise smirked at him and then went to bed. “It makes a klaxon alarm.”

“Joy.”

~the next day~

That morning, Harry couldn’t help the yelp. Dobby was staring at her while standing at the doorway of the dormroom waiting for her to appear from the Underworld. “Dobby! Come along.” She smiled at a disapproving Hermione before ushering her Elf into the common room. “What do you know?”

“Dobby has been following Parkinson as both crow and human. The crow flies into Hogwarts and human goes into the Come and Go Room. Human comes out and crow leaves the school. Parkinson isn’t allowed in school, Mistress Harriet!”

“Yes, and the Headmaster is aware of that. Has she been speaking to anyone?”

“No, and she is avoiding Snape extra careful like.”

“I see…”  _ Falling out then. She wants to do it on her own, but isn’t aware of Snape’s extra orders to kill her should she get out of hand. Interesting…  _ “Thank you Dobby. You look done in. Go get some rest.”

Dobby gave her a beaming smile and vanished with a happy snap.  Harry left before Hermione could give her a lecture.

Classes continued with Snape being his usual obnoxious assholish self. She looked at him with extreme annoyance as he left. He ignored her.  Rolling her eyes, Harry didn’t even notice when Tom wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Harry frowned suddenly. “Where’s Vane?” She hadn’t seen the boy around.

Tom glanced at her before donning a careful air. “He was expelled for attempting to date rape a student, and the Girl Who Lived." He glanced at Harry before adding, "Apparently, he’s done it before. He confessed to the Headmaster without a fuss and accepted his expulsion.”

Ron cursed. “Ruddy hell, that boy’s a monster.” He turned and looked at Hermione. “Um, Mione, could you…” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I was wondering if you’d like to read the next chapter of Charms with me…”

Eyes gleaming with joy, Hermione pulled him into a kiss. “I’d love to! We can have a study date every afternoon and a real date every Hogsmeade trip!” Ron’s face split into a grin. 

Harry’s moan of pain snapped them out of their lovefest stupor. “My eyes…”

Looking equally pained, Tom sighed. “Why did you have to set them up?”

“I’ve been asking myself the same question.” Harry winked at Ron though, to let him know that she was just teasing. He rolled his eyes. 

“Ha bloody ha!” Grabbing Hermione’s hand, he smiled at her and then continued walking down the hall to Potions. 

As the days slid by, Apparation lessons and anxiety increased. One boy actually did get castrated, and Snape blamed Harry’s mental suggestion and docked twenty points from Gryffindor. Harry only heard about it later that day during lunch. Tom and she hadn’t turned seventeen yet, but it didn’t matter. They already could apparate wandlessly- meaning the Ministry couldn’t touch them. Something that everyone was strangely envious of.

Looking around the school, Harry almost felt…bored. She frowned suddenly at the sight of a crow and got up quickly. She wasn’t letting Pansy get away from her this time.

Neither she nor Dumbledore really wanted her to repair the cabinet, but they were going to make it as controlled an environment for their plan as possible.


	25. Self-Fulfilling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albus and Harry go hunting for a weakness of Gellert's. Gellert, meanwhile, is trying to figure things out.

~meanwhile~

Gellert grunted and then looked up when Evette walked in. “The prophecy states that I am to kill her or she is to kill me. Severus says that it might have already been fulfilled.”

“Trash.” Evette sat beside him and handed him his espresso. “You are placing too much store by the prophecy. It was self-fulfilling hogwash. If you had not heard the prophecy, then what would you do?”

“Capture her and convince her to my side.” Gellert frowned softly. “What do you mean that the prophecy is self-fulfilling?”

“You marked her as your equal when you attacked her, but you attacked her because of the prophecy. It goaded you into acting when you normally would not have. A proper prophecy is unbiased and does not instigate action. What  _ I _ have told you will happen no matter what you do about it in reaction to it.  _ That _ prophecy was worded specifically to get you to act on it, a stimulus that was introduced into the fabric of our timelines, twisting our strings around into knots.”

Geller sipped his coffee and frowned out the window. “I acted upon it. True, and that was foolish of me, but it is done. How did I mark her as my equal? I’m still uncertain…” None of his own visions were giving him anything to go on.

“What do you have that would give you an edge?”

“Necromancy.”

“And your immortality.” Evette’s eyes were clear of any smoke daze. She was just this smart usually. 

“But she is not immortal.” 

“How do you know? Why does she laugh at the thought of dying? Why was she not bothered when you got her with the basilisk? Why is she always more concerned about her friends, than herself? A hero’s complex does not fit her…more pragmatic personality. She is cunning, ruthless, if we saw eye to eye, then I would follow her without a moment’s hesitation. She is everything you and your consort are. She is another of your brand, but her magic had already been set in her soul for a year. Your actions didn’t give her her magic. You did help mold her personality, but only because of a butterfly effect, a chain reaction. What did  _ you _ have that she could get?”

Gellert went still and then exhaled. “I can’t think of anything at the moment, but I will continue to search for the answer.” Evette looked disappointed, and then she sighed. 

“It wasn’t time for you to get the answer anyways. You’ll find it after this year ends.” With that, she stood up and walked out of the room. Gellert eyed her and then snorted.

“Thanks for the support.”

“You brought me to you for answers and advice, not coddling.” The French woman arched an eyebrow at him and then closed the door behind her. Gellert finished his coffee slowly, staring out the rain slicked window.

~at that time~

Harry pushed open the girls bathroom and looked at Pansy who was washing her face and hands of dust.

“Imagine it can be right filthy in the Room of Missing Things.”

A spell flashed out of nowhere, but Harry wasn’t playing. She pulled out her shadows and sliced the girl’s back to ribbons. Pansy screamed. Myrtle screamed.

Harry silenced them both. “Expecto Patronum.” She looked at her stag and spoke up. “Go to Severus.  _ Come to Myrtle’s bathroom. I have Pansy. _ ”

The stag leaped away.

Focusing on Pansy, Harry pushed her way into the girl’s mind and nearly recoiled at the sickness, the pervading insanity that…

Oh Merlin and Morgana…

Harry pulled away and threw up in the sink. Severus appeared. “Heal her. It’s not her time yet to die.” Her voice was rough. “Wipe her memory of this and tell her that she collapsed from exhaustion.”

“What did you see?” Severus started healing the girl’s wounds. Some were deep enough that he could see bone.

Harry straightened herself up and stared into the mirror, looking at her eyes. “Grindelwald wasn’t completely idle when he pretended to be Greene back in fourth year. He took Pansy as his date and twisted her soul that night. Taking her jealousy of me and turning it into murderous but latent madness. He kept visiting her, on the sly, filling her weakened mind with whispered bits of pretty nothings. She’s in love with him.” Harry spelled her hair tidy again and put her wand away. Her eyes were cool as she took in the whimpering flesh that was Pansy Parkinson. 

“We could undo what he’s done. We can turn her back to normal.”

“No.” Harry shook her head. “I did that to Sirius, because there was a thread of himself still there. I did it to Ginny and Tom, because they were still present, if fading, in their souls. When a person is as far gone as Pansy…there’s nothing of her left for me to save. What a fool-” Harry cut herself off and then turned and walked out of the bathroom.

Severus stared after her and then delved into Pansy’s soul and nearly threw up also. Spelling her asleep, Severus picked her up and vanished to his office and set her on his sofa. “I’m so very sorry, Miss Parkinson…that this happened to you.” He frowned as he recalled the cold and unfeeling glint in Harriet’s eyes. She wasn’t…did she feel nothing for Pansy’s plight? “She threw up…but anyone would at the putridity of this girl’s soul…” Severus worried, but he had a job to do, and so, he pushed his worry aside and wiped the child’s memory, telling her Harry’s cover story instead. 

Meanwhile, Harry was speaking to Albus about dragons and who they should send. “Aberforth. Sirius too. He’d love that.” Harry smirked. “Charlie should also become one. I think…”

“Five should be a safe number to start with. Dragons age relatively quickly and then slow once adulthood is reached.”

“How long?”

Albus hummed. “Six months for adolescence and then two more months to adulthood.”

“That’s all the time we can spare…though…dragons might do the shattering of the Statute for Grindelwald.” Albus chuckled grimly and nodded.

“Obviously the chosen riders will have to be careful.”

“The twins also, Fred and George.”

“So, Aberforth, Sirius, Charlie, Fred, and George.”

“Five…”

“I like it.” Albus chuckled. “Severus will complain though that no Slytherin are chosen.”

“Alright then. The twins are busy with their shop and smuggling in England. Blaise and Karina will go. They are the offensive anyways. They will be the ones who will take back Italy.”

Albus smiled and nodded. “Even better. You have a head on your shoulders for strategy.”

Barking a laugh, Harry shook her head. “Not hardly as good as you.”

“I didn’t say that. I only said you have a skill in it.” His eyes twinkled. She smiled at him. Albus cleared his throat. “I had a thought about something we could both use to learn more about Grindelwald. He never told me anything about his time before Durmstrang, before his school letter.” 

“Oh?”

“And so, I took the pocket watch you gave me and tried to summon Madam Grindelwald.”

Harry stared at him with shocked eyes. “And?!” Though Harry knew Gellert’s soul, in that heat of the moment when she was eleven, she was certain she had missed many things about the man’s character and behavioral quirks. Albus’ own memories had proved that she had a major gap in her knowledge about the man. Knowing a person’s name didn’t tell you everything about them.

“No luck.”

“But she’s gotta be dead!”

Albus nodded. “She is, but she was unable to respond.”

Harry called to Death, and he showed up. She looked at him. “Where is Madam Grindelwald?”

“She’s currently stuck in a soul catcher of Gellert Grindelwald’s own making. Apparently he thought of that trick first and didn’t want Albus or you or anyone summoning her soul.”

“Bloody hell.” Harry repeated what Death had said. Albus sat down silently. “That means she knows something that he doesn’t want us to know.”

“Or it’s a trap.” Harry scowled. “Considering the source, my money is on it being both.”

“Indeed. But we must try anyways.” He looked at her carefully. 

Nodding, Harry exhaled. “When should we leave?”

“Soon. We’ll have to find it.”

“Somewhere in Austria-”

“No…I think he would have put her in his old prison cell. Nurmengard. He didn’t tell me details, but his hatred was obvious. He despised his mother.”

“Ah. Prison it is then. Joy and rapture.” Harry wiped her hands on her skirt and then nodded to him. “We’ll go when?”

“Tomorrow night.”

“Got it.” She smiled at him nervously and then vanished. Soul catchers were scary for her because it put her out of play for a week at minimum, and quite a lot could happen in a week.

This was Friday, and tomorrow was Saturday. 

It was when she was in the garden with Tom, that Albus approached. “Hello Tom. Harriet, I have the location. We need to leave.”

Jumping up, Harry kissed her boyfriend, “Tom.” Her eyes were intense. “Remember I told you that Pansy is up to something to get the others in?”

“Yeah.” His eyes sparked. “She’s got a way?”

“The vanishing cabinets. One in Burkes and one here. She’s fixed it. The ghosts told me that they overhead shrieking laughter. She’s done it. The attack is going to happen tonight, and Albus and I won’t be here. We have to get something very important that might be hidden again later on. So hand this out to everyone. One tiny drop each. Regulate it carefully, Tom, and then hold off these idiots until I and Albus return.”

Tom noticed immediately that Harry was calling the headmaster by his first name. His eyes widened. “You taught him Necromancy too.”

Harry exhaled and nodded. “I did. He’s my best student.” Albus looked surprised and then pleased. 

Grinning slowly, Tom kissed her. “Can’t wait to pass him up.”

“Survive this battle first, and we’ll see how good you are.” She winked at him and then blew him a kiss before moving towards Albus. Shadows thickened around them.

“Take care, Harry.”

“I will. I love you.” She smiled at him and then vanished under Albus’ shadows.

Tom swallowed and then looked at the bottle of liquid luck in his hand. It was still sealed. He smirked and then nodded before hurrying off. Severus quickly started brewing more, but Tom gave a single drop to all the teachers, held in tiny cups that McGonagall transfigured. 

“When the attack comes, we will be ready.” Her eyes gleamed. 

Draco grunted at Tom. “Why are they allowing the attack?”

“Harry doesn’t tell me everything, but apparently she and Dumbledore have been planning for this for a long time. They’ve got something hinged on this working out properly. We can’t interfere until they give us the all clear. Just focus on evacuation and keep out of their way.” Draco nodded and passed on the orders among the inner circle.

The lions of Harry were also informed, but only her inner circle. All the other students continued on as if it were another boring Saturday.

Tom wetted his lips and looked at Ginny. She nodded grimly and then turned back to her lunch. Hardly anyone in the know was hungry.

Harry’s students of DAM were also aware and were gripping their wands nervously. This would be their first test in what she’s taught them. They would be crowd control, guiding the innocent and keeping the followers away from the children.

They had to back up the teachers who would be doing the actual fighting. Tom was firm on that. No hero moves. He didn’t want to have to help write letters to parents explaining why their kid was dead. That sobered everyone and no one planned to disobey him tonight.

At that time, Albus and Harry were making their way through a clearly renovated castle. Looking around, Harry gave a soft whistle of appreciation. “Certainly wasn’t wasting time.”

“Nurmengard is just known now as a tower of this place, but it used to be the entire castle, his old headquarters. By the looks of things, he is planning on re-instituting it as his main location once again.” They stepped through some rotting wood that was in the process of being replaced by fresh wood.

“Huh. Interesting…” She stepped into a side room and cast out her senses. “Nothing.”

“How does one sense a catcher?”

“A hole in magic. It’s a vacuum.”

“Ah.” Albus scanned the entire level and shook his head. “Next floor then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the encouragement and comments. This story is the only story that I have gotten the most comments on per chapter, and it truly means a lot to me, so thank you. : )  
> Ink...


	26. A Change of Clothes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything goes to shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! The last chapter! YAY!!  
> Hope you guys enjoy it! And don't panic or loathe my existence too much! ; D  
> Ink...

They finally found the thing in the original cell of Grindelwald’s. Harry looked at the creaky door and exhaled. “Definitely…a trap.”

“My thoughts also.” Albus looked at the seemingly innocent black orb that was resting on a circular pedestal in the center of the room. The black orb was on a black, velvet pillow. 

“So, to release a soul from a catcher, one must have this.” Harry pulled out a scythe. Albus huffed. “I know. You want one.” She didn’t mention that Blaise and Karina were learning how to wield theirs very quickly. Sirius was loving his. He and Karina dueled all the time.

“Now, just a gentle tap…” Harry scrunched her face up in concentration as she gently rested the very tip of her blade against the glassy curve of the orb. Too hard. A vengeful scream split the still air the moment, Harry pulled her scythe away. “SHIT! WRAITH!”

“What?” Albus threw up a protego spell, but the wraith shot straight through it, lashing out with toxic magic all the while still hooked on Harriet’s scythe. 

Gagging, Albus tried to summon shadows and cut the monster away, but he couldn’t…

_ Blast, I’m losing conscientiousness… _

“Albus! Shit!” Harry stared at the black veins spreading across Albus’ face and neck. The moment the wraith’s magic would touch his soul, he would be paralyzed, magic wise, for life.  With all her strength, Harry yanked her scythe away, like a fishing pole with a monstrous fish at the end. Pulling open the veil, Harry screamed, “Grell! Come!” She slung the wraith into the opening and closed the veil. Panting, Harry moved swiftly to Albus. The black wasn’t spreading, but it wasn’t going away.

“Okay, okay, um…okay…griffin cubs. Right! Replace bad magic with good magic.” Harry swallowed and tried not to think why Death wasn’t coming. She tried not to think that maybe he was busy reaping some souls of her schoolmates. “Come on, Albus, we have other places to be.” She pulled pure energy from the Earth and then drew the dark from his body, easing the clean power into him. 

It was like a blood transfusion, and just as long. After what seemed like days, his eyes opened, and he stared at her. “What was that?”

“Wraith…sorry. Never thought I’d need to teach you guys how to fight against those.” Harry laughed weakly and then helped him up. “Grell has the witch now and is holding her in the Underworld. We’ll be able to question her later. Once we’re…you know. Dead.”

“Ah yes. I will have to goad an unhinged Miss Parkinson into killing me as well as you.” Albus chuckled faintly and then struggled to stand. “It will be very believable now. I can safely say that I am not at my strongest.”

“Come on. The battle has probably already begun. We’ve been here for hours. Can you travel?”

“My magic is…in flux, you might say. I can’t do much of anything right now.” 

Harry closed her eyes. “I’m so sorry. Here. Hold onto me. Traveling by shadow would be to take you to the Underworld, and that would only make you weaker. We’ll apparate.”

“What are wraiths, exactly?”

She spun with him and then they appeared in Hogsmeade. Harry stared at the mark over the school that Tom had created back with the Dursleys. It was his signal that the battle had begun, hoping she would see and come. “Shit. Hogwarts is under attack. Already. They move fast.”

“Ah. Yes. We will need some brooms. Flying to the Astronomy Tower. I can’t apparate us there sadly, but my magic should be able to allow us entry even while on brooms.”

They grabbed their brooms and flew fast.  Swallowing, Harry alighted on the stone of the Astronomy Tower and then moved to steady Albus. They set their brooms down and then headed quickly for the door, but it flew open. Pansy was grinning madly.  “Saw you coming. I was worried you wouldn’t be coming back!” Bellatrix and a few others were behind her. Severus approached slowly also.

“Well? Finish her off!” Bellatrix sneered.

Albus chuckled quietly. “Oh Pansy, as if you could finish Harriet Potter off. You’re just a little girl in a big man’s war. What could you hope to achieve?”

Pansy screamed at him and moved to kill Albus too. Harry screamed in ‘terror’ as a blast of green knocked Albus to the ground. 

Bellatrix snarled. “You little fool! The Dark Lord wanted him alive! I’ll kill you!”

Looking up from the still body of Albus, Harry stared at Severus. “Please, Severus. Please…”

“As Parkinson is clearly incompetent. Avada Kedavra!”

Harry felt her body go cold, as if doused in ice water, and then she was gone. Pansy screamed in both pain from Bellatrix’s curses and exultation that Harry was dead. She saw a knife on the floor that had fallen from Dumbledore’s robes and snatched it up. She stabbed Harriet’s chest repeatedly, laughing all the while. 

Then...then she stopped and stared at the tiny cut she had given to herself. “Why does it hurt?” She stared at Severus, who was completely pale. He knew that knife. Harry had told her class all about the weapons of the Necromancers. He turned and looked at the slowly decomposing corpse of Harriet. It would take a much longer time for her to be coming back now…this plan was going to pieces around his ears.

But while that happened, Bellatrix snatched Albus Dumbledore’s corpse up. “The Dark Lord will want to bury him. Will want to say goodbye to him.”

Jerking around, Severus’ eyes widened. “No, Bellatrix! We haven’t the time to-”

“Catch me then, Sevvie!” Bellatrix cackled and then lit the entire school on fire with a roaring form of a dragon shaped fiendfyre. She vanished with a crack as soon as she was beyond the Hogwarts boundary.

Leaving a screaming Pansy, Severus raced after her, along with all the other followers. He turned to duck a curse and saw Tom. The boy was screaming at him. Unaware of the plan, only aware that Harry was decomposing and possibly not coming back from a Bone Knife, and Dumbledore’s body was being taken away.

“YOU COWARD!”

Severus swallowed and cracked away. He possibly was, but he could not leave the headmaster in the clutches of Grindelwald. 

~one week later~

Harry woke up just in time for her own funeral. No one was there in the hidden room in the Headmaster’s Tower. Feeling refreshed and still tingly with the goodbye kiss Antonin had given her, she stood up slowly and looked at a letter from Hermione.

_ ‘Harriet,  _

_ I might not be here when you wake up, so I decided to write you instead. Because of security, we can only visit you at night when no one can see and become suspicious at so much activity around the late Headmaster’s tower. I’m sure you understand. _

_ I shall start from the beginning. When the attack came, we were well prepared and all the teachers were dressed and ready. We pushed the attackers back and allowed Slughorn- who suspiciously had far more courage than my character analysis of him allowed- to lead the students away from Hogwarts and into Hogsmeade.  _

_ Meanwhile, DAM, Tom’s snakes, and the teachers all managed to keep the damage to a minimum. At this time, as near as we can figure, you arrived with the headmaster to the Astronomy Tower. I can only assume that something major went wrong, because Tom raced after the retreating followers and said later that he saw Bellatrix holding Albus Dumbledore’s body as she apparated away. Severus Snape went with them, and has since been labeled all sorts of horrible names. Tom has even banned any Slytherin from saying his name! _

_ Speaking of Tom, he raced up to the tower ahead of us, but Ron and I and Ginny weren’t far behind. We arrived a few seconds later and saw Pansy screaming and slowly decomposing! I knew immediately that she had been cut by a Bone Dagger. I warned everyone not to touch it. Then Tom looked at you and screamed. I have to admit, Harry, it was a horrible sight. Your body was decomposing from the knife wounds in your chest. Tom turned to me and asked if you could survive a Bone Dagger. I couldn’t remember what you had told me, if you had told me anything about that. I could only shake my head helplessly. I’m afraid he said some nasty things to me then, and Ron hit him.  _

_ They still aren’t talking. _

_ Pansy was whisked away to the psychiatric ward in St. Mungo’s to be observed as she…slowly dies. Thankfully, no one came to the conclusion that either you or the Headmaster owned the knife. They all assumed that Pansy attacked you with it as an assassination attempt.  _

_ The school is in shock, and I can’t say I blame them. Everyone thinks that Harriet Potter is dead. But Aberforth Dumbledore refused for anyone to know that Albus Dumbledore was killed. Not even the students know. Everyone thinks he has been spirited away to go through intensive healing and is still in a coma. _

_ The entirety of England is in mourning, but at least something good came out of all this mess. The Minister of Magical England, Rufus Scrimgeour declared war on every country who openly supported Grindelwald. The Magical Congress of the United States of America have backed up his declaration.  _

_ Oh Harry…it’s begun! The war has begun! _

_ Please wake up soon!  _

_ Sirius watched Godric’s Hollow for your body once the decomposing one turned to ash (and wasn’t Tom beside himself when that happened!), and the moment your body came back and started reforming, he brought you here to the hidden guest bedroom of the Headmaster’s. Tom has been much easier to get along with now that he’s realizing you aren’t permanently gone. He even apologized to Ron, but things are still tense between them. _

_ We miss you very much, Harry. _

_ Hermione.’ _

Harry read the added postscript while in a daze. 

_ ‘PS, today is your funeral. You will be buried in Godric’s Hollow later today, but there will be a memorial held here at Hogwarts for your bravery and heroic acts.’ _

Sitting back, Harry blinked and then exhaled. “Death?” Her voice was hoarse. He appeared. 

“Yes?”

“You never went to the world of the living while I was dead, right?”

“No. Has anything happened?” He crossed his arms. Harry blinked at him slowly and then handed him the letter. 

“A bit.”

He read it quickly and then cursed softly. “And so when Albus went back to the world of the living…”

“Yeah, he woke up in a coffin within Grindelwald’s control.” Harry dressed herself tiredly. 

Death swallowed and then closed his eyes. “Well, Grindelwald knows he’s a Necromancer, and a Master of Death now.”

“Brilliant.” She stepped out of the bathroom and then picked up her wands and holstered them in her new holsters that she had attached to her legs. 

Death looked at her in surprise. “Harriet?”

“We’re at war.” Pulling on fingerless gloves that would keep her hands warm or cool based on the temperature, she looked up at him. “School clothes and robes will only get in the way.” She snugged on her iron tipped boots and then looked at her hair and cut it short with a fast snap of her wand. 

Looking at herself in the floor length mirror, Harry exhaled slowly. She had on her dragon vest, her black denim jeans and her knee high boots. Tucking in her black cotton, long sleeve shirt into her jeans, she tied a belt around her and then adjusted her thigh holsters for her wands. 

Then, she pulled on a coat that Grell had given her. Enchanted to repel most any spell and block shadow strikes. She straightened the scythe that was now blatantly attached to her back. 

With a smile that was a fragile and twisted echo of her usual one, Harry held her hands up slowly and stretched out her arms. “Well? What do you think?”

“I think you’re ready to reap some souls.” Death smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be starting Book Seven on the 29th of March, and-  
> Dun dun dunnn!  
> I will be uploading once a week, every Sunday. Now, Book Seven is still in the revision and rough draft phase, so please be patient with myself should a chapter have more errors than usual. I try to comb through each chapter that I upload before I upload it, but sometimes life tries to throttle me, so I can't make any promises.  
> Thanks for your patience and comments and kudos! This is going to be a very fun adventure!   
> And I hope you all enjoyed this conclusion to book six!  
> See you all at Book Seven on 03/29!  
> Ink...


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